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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28053453">Danganronpa: Rapid Fire</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Izzy101/pseuds/Izzy101'>Izzy101</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing, Super Dangan Ronpa 2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Captivity, Despair, Execution, Fan Killing Game (Dangan Ronpa), Hope, Hope vs. Despair, Human Experimentation, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Kidnapping, Male Protagonist, Mental Health Issues, Mental Instability, Monokuma (Dangan Ronpa) Being An Asshole, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Other, Suspense, Torture, Totally accurate physics</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 15:15:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>132,523</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28053453</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Izzy101/pseuds/Izzy101</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Arata Katsune, The Ultimate Survivor. A boy who has lived a beyond abnormal life. And it's about to get much worse.</p><p>When Arata took his first steps into Soaring Heights High School, he began to feel dizzy then passed out. He awoke in a classroom with a note that told him to go to the gymnasium. When he arrived there, he was greeted by the faces of 15 other students that were supposed to be his classmates. Then, a mechanical bear shows up and tells them that they are going to be forced to kill each other! </p><p>As the Ultimate Survivor, Arata has faced similar situations, but this time, he can't act alone. He needs the help of his classmates so that he can escape.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Where The Hell Is The Gym</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This can also be found on my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Soaring Heights High School. A school made for kids who are the best of the best at what they do. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>In order to get into this school, you have to be an Ultimate. Like an Ultimate Dancer or Ultimate Clairvoyant. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>It's one of the schools that are competing with the infamous Hope's Peak Academy.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>There's also another option if you want to go here. You can win in a raffle and get scouted as the Ultimate Lucky Student. But that's irrelevant. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>I, however, hate my talent. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>My name is Arata Katsune. I am the Ultimate Survivor. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>It's not like I wanted to have this talent. I had a tough childhood. In fact, I probably shouldn't even be alive right now. But I survived. And I was recognized for that; which is the last thing I wanted. I decided to come here so that I could get a good education(something I was heavily denied as a child).</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Anyways, I'm getting kinda off topic. Now that I've introduced myself, I want you to continue with the story. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yes, it will be at my point of view. Deal with it. I just want people to know what we went through. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Anyways, enjoy I guess. Or don't. No one does. <em></em></em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>————————————————————————</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata thought he'd be nervous to show up at a school like Soaring Heights, but he felt nothing. But that's not uncommon for him.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>His first step into the school that could change his life. He thought it would be full of determination and hope. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>But when he took a step through the gate, his head began to pound and the world around him was starting to spin. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Then he hit the ground.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>/////////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata groggily lifted his head. Using a hand to support himself, he sat up and slowly scanned his surroundings. He was in a classroom. At least, that's what he assumed it was due to the desks that were scattered everywhere and the chalkboard at the front of the room. It was basically screaming "classroom"</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>He lifted his head to get a better look around. His eyes locked on something that was in front of him: A pamphlet? How did that get there? </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>He reached out with a pale hand and took the slightly crumpled pamphlet in his hands. He opened it and began to read the messy and barely legible handwriting.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Welcome to Soaring Heights!</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>The entrance ceremony will be held in the gymnasium. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>It won't start till everyone is there so take your time!</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>I've provided you with a map of the school!</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>~Headmaster of Soaring Heights High School</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Sure enough, there was a map that was taped to the inside of the pamphlet. Arata took the map out and unfolded it. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>The map was incredibly worn out but it gave him somewhat of an understanding about where he was. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"Alright. Head to the gymnasium. So where would that be..."</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata spoke as he scanned the dull map. He looked up a moment later with an understanding look. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"Okay, I think I got it."</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>He began to make his way out of the dusty classroom. He was well aware that the pamphlet he received didn't have anything to do with the entrance ceremony. He knew a trick when he saw one.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata exited the classroom and looked down the hallway. It was dark and the ceiling lights barely did anything to brighten it up. He sighed. He couldn't do anything about that.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>The hallway echoed with each footstep he took. It was incredibly unsettling. It was like he was trapped in some abandoned school that hadn't been used for years. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>The boy took note that the walls were covered in things such as club flyers and information about fundraisers. That was peculiar. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata stopped when he saw movement ahead of him. Was there another person there? He knew he had to be cautious. But he was desperately in need of some information.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"Hey! You there! Can you tell me where I am?" </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata's voice echoed down the hallway and it seemed to startled the figure. The figure then turned to him, looking frazzled. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"Jesus! Don't just yell like that! You scared the crap out of me!" </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>It was immediately depicted to be a female voice.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata narrowed his eyes at the girl in suspicion as he watched her approach.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>From the way she spoke, and her physical appearance, she was obviously American. He also looked down and saw that she was holding some kind of sketchbook. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"Anyways, why did you shout at me? Who are you anyways? Are you one of my classmates? I'm supposed to be attending Soaring Heights." </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>The girl spoke quickly and barely paused after each sentence.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"Stop. You're asking too many questions. I shouted at you so that I could ask you where we are. And my name is <strong>Arata Katsune. I'm the Ultimate Survivor</strong>. Don't ask me to explain it because I won't."</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>(He himself had shoulder length gray hair that covered his right eye. Three pieces stuck up from the top of his head, since they were stubborn. He had gray eyes. He wore a blue blazer with a black undershirt. His tie wasn’t put on properly and was wrapped around his neck instead of a collar, but he didn’t care. He preferred it that way. He wore black pants and black shoes.)</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>His voice was dull as he answered a majority of the girls questions. He wasn't much for socializing.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"Oh...Ultimate Survivor...well...I'm <strong>Sora Takara, The Ultimate Illustrator</strong>."</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>The girls voice was slightly hesitant and only filled with a minor bit of disturbance. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>(She had long brown hair and wide eyes. She wore a school uniform that had a dark brown blazer and dark v-neck sweater shirt underneath. She also had a brown skirt and black shoes. There was a brown plaid scarf wrapped around her neck, and she had a sketchbook clutched tightly to her chest.)</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"We're at Soaring Height High School right? Did you also get a note that said to meet in the gym for the entrance ceremony?" She asked.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Perfect. They seemed to be in the same page.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"Yes. I should probably continue heading there. Bye." He said.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>With that, Arata brushed past the girl and continued on his way down the hallway after receiving some of the information that he was looking for. The girl looked at him in utter bewilderment as he walked away.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"Japan is so strange." She mumbled into her scarf.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>————————————————————————</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"Why is this school so god damn big?" </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata was beyond frustrated at this point. He had been wandering around for god knows how long, looking for the gymnasium. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>He had already ditched the map since it was too illegible to read. Wasn't this school supposed to be high quality or something? Also, where was everyone? Or ANYONE for that matter.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>In a desperate guess, he decided to open the closest door to him and hoped that it was the gym. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>He pulled open a large wooden double door and glanced around. The room was filled with tables and it looked like there was a kitchen in the back of the room. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>It didn't take him long to figure out that it was the cafeteria. It looked surprisingly well kept and definitely had a different atmosphere. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>He froze as he heard talking coming from the kitchen. His curiosity got the best of him and he began to walk towards the sound.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>The first thing he noticed was that there was three other people in the room. One female. Two males. As he opened the door, they all turned towards him. The female was the first to speak up.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"Heeeyyyyoooo!!!! What's up? You here to join us on our expedition!? We don't know what's going on!"</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata cringed at how loud this girl was shouting. It was honestly annoying, especially since it was a small room so she had no reason to yell in the first place. The boy next to her seemed to agree with him as he uncovered his ears. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"P-please stop yell-yelling! It's really n-not ne-necessary!" </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>He spoke with an obvious stutter. Either he was nervous, or the stutter was natural. The other boy looked unfazed by the conversation. He just held a peaceful smile.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"Come on guys. Let's not fight, okay? We're supposed to be classmates right?" </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>His voice said everything about his personality. He must be a serious pacifist. His smile never left his face, which made Arata shiver.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"I'm Arata Katsune. Ultimate Survivor. Tell me your names so that I can get it out of the way." </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata didn't have much time for introductions, but if these people were gonna be his classmates, then he might as well get introductions out of the way. He was snapped out of his thoughts as the loud girl spoke up.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"Allllllrighty then!! My name is <strong>Kanon Kazuno! I'm the Ultimate DJ</strong>! Nice ta meetcha!" </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>(This girl was average sized and had bright pink long hair. She had blue eyes and a pair a blue headphones around her neck. She wore a light purple shirt that cut off on the shoulders, but was being held by another strap. She wore a light black skirt and white slip on sneakers.)</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>She was still being loud. Seriously, does she know how to calm down or what? The boy next to her pushed his glasses up further on the bridge of his nose. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"I-I'm <strong>Riku Akinari. I'm the U-Ultimate Assistant</strong>. I'll do my best to a-assist you if you wi-wish for my he-help." </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>(This boy had short black hair that seemed mostly uneven. He had nervous eyes and glasses. He wore a green plaid collared short sleeved shirt under a white vest. He had black pants and black shoes.)</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>After he introduced himself, he bowed. Arata raised an eyebrow before looking at the last boy with an expectant gaze. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"Oh...I guess it's my turn then. My name is <strong>Ren Kazuhiko. I believe they call me the Ultimate Botanist</strong>."</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>(This boy had short and messy light blonde hair. His eyes were a nice aquamarine color. He wore a striped white collared shirt, and the collar was messily pushed up. A red badly tied bow was around his neck. Over the shirt, he wore a light pastel green apron. He also wore very dark green pants.)</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Ultimate Botanist huh? That's the study of plants and flowers. Such a large talent. How was he so laid back?</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata sighed. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"Thanks for that. Do any of you know where the gymnasium is?"</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>They all looked at each other with a look that was only between them. The assistant was the first to answer Arata's question.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"A-Actually, we have no idea. We've been s-searching for awhile n-now. This school is q-quite large." </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata nodded in understandings. This school was basically a giant maze. If a maze had three floors and flyers for blood donations. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"I am going to continue my search for it. If I can, I'll come back to get you guys if I find it, but I make no promises." Arata said.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>He turned and exited the kitchen without waiting to hear the response that was given. He made his way out of the cafeteria and continued down the hallway.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>————————————————————————</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata began walking down another hallway. At the end of the hallway, there was a single wooden door. Above the door, there was a plaque that read: Boys Dormitory.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>He reached out and opened the door. The next hallway seemed to lead him to another part of the building. He ended up at a large room that had many doors.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>'Ah, So these are the dorms. Doesn't this mean the girls dorms are on the other side of the school?' </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>It seemed only logical if they were. He didn't feel like checking out the dorms so he made his way back out into the hallway. He took a right.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>This time, he ended up finding a set of metal double doors. He was certain that it was the gymnasium. He took a deep breath and pushed open the doors. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>The light difference in the gymnasium nearly blinded him. Once his eyes adjusted, he immediately concluded that he was indeed, in the gymnasium. To the left, their was a stage and a podium in the center that was empty. On the right, there was a set of bleachers. There was a basketball hoop on either side of the room as well. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata finally got to the middle of the gym. He was met with four pairs of eyes staring at him. Was this all the people that could find the gymnasium? Guess that's understandable. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"Hey! You there! Are you here for the entrance ceremony? Where is the rest of our classmates?"</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>It took Arata a moment to realize who was talking to him. His eyes landed upon a girl that was standing not too far away from him. He hesitantly approached her. Normally, he wouldn't be so uneasy when meeting new people. But considering the fact that a hand puppet had just talked to him, he had the right to be a little bit on edge.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Yup, that's right. This girl had a black cat hand puppet on her hand and it had just called out to him. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>'Welp...definitely not the weirdest thing I've ever talked to.' Arata thought.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>He decided that maybe it was best to introduce himself so that he could get an understanding of what....that was.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"Hello. I'm Arata Katsune, the Ultimate Survivor. And you are....what..?"</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>He hadn't intended to sound so unnerved, but things happen when a puppet starts talking to you. And sure enough, the puppet's mouth moved again when it answered him.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"Nice to meet you Arata-kun! I don't have a name, but you can call me Monokitty!" </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>It was a black hand puppet of what appeared to be a black cat. It was surprisingly realistic yet not at all.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata nodded awkwardly. His eyes drifted to the girl holding the puppet. It was almost as if the puppet could see him cause the next thing it said answered his questions.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"Oh! And this is <strong>Haru Makayu! She's the Ultimate Ventriloquist</strong>!"</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>(This girl had very long jet black hair that was tied into two low pigtails. Her bangs covered her eyes enough that Arata couldn’t see them. She wore a school uniform that had a black long sleeved blazer and a white collared undershirt. It had a small red bow around her neck. She also wore a black skirt with black stockings and black shoes.)</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Ultimate Ventriloquist. That made a lot more sense. It was actually terrifying how lifelike The puppet acted.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"So you're a ventriloquist huh? What's that like?" </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>His question was directed at Haru specifically. But the puppet was on his case in an instant.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"Haru-chan doesn't talk to anyone Arata-kun. She doesn't even talk to me. I'm not sure why though." </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata felt a pang of annoyance hit him. He was not going to talk to an object. He didn't want to be rude either so he just mumbled a 'goodbye' and turned to the next person that was in the gym. It was a boy and he did NOT look friendly.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"What are you looking at? Do not look at me like I am some commoner."</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Yup, there it was. This boy had that voice of a rich and intelligent kid. Just by his tone of voice, it was concluded that he didn't get along with people. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata forced himself to approach the boy without expressing his annoyance. He still had to get to at least know the names of his classmates. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"I'm Arata Katsune. The Ultimate Survivor. I don't want to talk to anyone just as much as you don't but at least tell me your name so that we can get it over with."</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>The boy raised and eyebrow and lowered his head slightly, as if he were considering it.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"Very well. I am <strong>Kichino Shinobu, the Ultimate Luckster</strong>. My family and friends refer to me as Kichi, but since you are neither of those, don't."</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>(This boy had short black hair that was neatly swiped to the side. He wore an outfit similar to that of a prince. Complete with the shoulder tassels and ribbons. It was short sleeved. He also wore black pants.)</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>It didn't take Arata long to realize that the conversation was over. He was honestly relieved. Talking to Kichino made his disappointment in humanity grow tremendously.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata turned around and walked towards the third person on in the room. He was already curious about what his classmates talents were. So far, he's been impressed(and confused) by them. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"Young traveler! I have predicted that you have come to me, seeking my title!" </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>The tall boy in front of him was definitely overdramatized. With every sentence he said, he made some sort of over exerted motion to go with it. It was both confusing, and amusing. Before Arata could say that the boy was right, he already started his introduction.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"Lights! Camera! Action! The stage is set for the one and only <strong>Theo Aurora! The Ultimate Thespian</strong>!"</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>(This boy had dusty blonde hair, that was almost gray. It was swept to the side, like it was constantly blowing gently in the wind. He wore a long sleeved dark turquoise jacket that was lined with gold. He had a low cut red undershirt. He wore long light purple gloves and warm gray pants. He had knee high brown boots and surprisingly, he had a sword strapped to his side.)</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>'Wow. Fitting title.'</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata wait for Theo to stop striking a pose before he introduced himself.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"I'm Arata Katsune, The Ultimate Survivor."</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata's voice was about as uninterested as ever.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"Oh? Survivor? Do not fret young Ultimate. I will not press you for details. Now, continue onwards and complete your task, then maybe we can speak again." </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Once again, Theo made a movement with every sentence. This guy had way too much sass for a male high schooler. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata nodded and began to make his way towards the final person in the room.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"<strong>Hault!</strong>" </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>The girls tone of voice made Arata stop in his tracks. She obviously meant business. Her voice basically said that she was the leader. Whether you like it or not.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"State your name. I must see if you carry a demon in your words. Then, I will tell you my own."</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"My name is Arata Katsune. I'm the Ultimate Survivor." </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata stared at the girl with an expecting look. The girl eyed him suspiciously before making a few motions with her hands. She was mumbling something under her breath. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>After a moment, she lowered her hands and faced Arata.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"My name is <strong>Yami Zenaku. Remember my name for I am the Ultimate Exorcist</strong>." </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>(This girl had very straight shoulder length brown hair and wore a round and odd hat. She wore a knee length, very dark blue almost black dress with a white collar and white wrist sleeves. She wore similar colored stockings and black shoes. Around her neck was a pendant of a silver cross.)</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Exorcist? Was that actually a talent someone could have? Arata sighed. There was no use in questioning it anymore.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>The girl then took something out of her pocket and held it out to Arata. He raised an eyebrow and took it. It was a tiny vile filled with what looked to be water.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"You are being followed by enraged spirits. To keep them from possessing you, keep that holy water on you at all times."</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata stared down at the vile before nodding. He was honestly trying to humor this girl. He turned and gazed around the gymnasium.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>'Hmm. Not everyone is here. The pamphlet said that the ceremony won't start till everyone is in the gymnasium.' He thought.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>The school was pretty big. So it's highly likely that most of the students got lost or distracted. Arata thought back to the three people he found in the kitchen. Maybe they were still there.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>'Might as well go find everyone. Then I can tell them how to get here.' He thought.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata turned and made his way back to the door he entered through. When he got back into the hallway, he noticed a staircase to his right. It was covered by a metal gate. That was odd. Oh right, he was only on the first floor. He took out the worn out map he had received and immediately felt a line of sweat drip down his forehead. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>'Have I seriously only searched half of the first floor?'</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Welp. This might take awhile.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>I know what you're gonna say. I'm well aware that my personality is hard to figure out. But it's no mystery that I don't usually like talking to people, especially if I have no reason to. </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>My past has prevented me from making any type of friends. I have serious trust issues and it makes me kinda hard to approach. I don't think I've every made a single friend in my life. Since I've survived this long without them, I thought that I didn't need them. </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>I promise I'm not a bad person. But I can't promise that I'm a nice person. Just know that I didn't kill anyone. <em></em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Lost And Found</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Arata made his way back down the hallway that he had come from. He did his best to retrace his steps and then try to find his way to the other side of the first floor.</p>
<p>The ultimate survivor managed to make his way back to the hallway that led to the dorms. He looked to his right and noticed another hallway that he had yet to explore. He turned and continued on his way through the dreary looking school. </p>
<p>Everything about this school had made him uneasy. From the lack of lighting, to the fact that he hadn't seen a single adult so far. </p>
<p>Arata had never attended a public school before, so he had no idea what it was supposed to be like. Weren't there supposed to be a lot more students? Perhaps each class would get their own day for their entrance ceremony? It didn't quite make sense, but it was logical.</p>
<p>Probably.</p>
<p>Arata stopped as he began to smell something strong. </p>
<p>Now, to any average kid, they would have immediately recognized the smell from when they were on their summer vacation. Going to the town pool with their family. Splashing around in the water like lunatics. And making new friends there as well. </p>
<p>Ah, yes. The overwhelming smell of chlorine. </p>
<p>But unfortunately for Arata, he had never been to a public swimming pool. He didn't recognize the smell of the swimming pool. Which led him to following the smell until he arrived outside another pair of double doors. </p>
<p>Arata pushed them open without hesitation. He was immediately met with a drastic change in temperature and a stinging sensation in his eyes. He managed to figure out that he had found the school swimming pool. </p>
<p>The room was nearly as large as the cafeteria had been. And in the center, there was the pool. Filled to the top with chlorinated water. Far off to the left of the pool, there were two doors. </p>
<p>Arata enter the room and made his way over to them. He soon noticed that the two doors had a label on the sides of them. </p>
<p>One read: Girls</p>
<p>And the other read: Boys</p>
<p>'Ah, these must be the locker rooms.' He thought. </p>
<p>He felt another bead of sweat drop from his forehead. The room was incredibly stuffy, much to his displeasure. He decided that it would be best to leave. He would have time to explore later after all. </p>
<p>Arata exited the swimming area and was immediately relieved to be away from that hot and smelly room. He never understood how people could stand swimming in that chemical bath.</p>
<p>He continued out into the hallway and ended up at another turn. He took a left and continued to walk. This place was surprisingly simple, but it was hard to see because the lighting was absolutely terrible. </p>
<p>'<em>High quality my ass<em>'</em></em></p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata stopped as he heard voices. It sounded like three people. It was coming from a nearby set of open wooden double doors. He cautiously approached the door and peered inside. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>It was immediately clear that the room was a library. The lighting in the room was slightly brighter than the hallway. He noticed that it was two girls and one boy. Both the girls seemed to be irritated by the boy. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Hey. What's going on?" </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata had decided to intervene since the two girls looked like they were about to tell him off. He noticed very quickly that one of the girls was one he had already met. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>'<em>Ultimate Illustrator...right?<em>’</em>
  </em>
</em></em></p><p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>He was immediately aware that all eyes were on him. He felt another bead of sweat drop down his forehead. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Oh! It's you from earlier. Um.....Eren...right?" Sora said.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"No. I'm Arata Katsune. The Ultimate Survivor. Can you tell me your names, then I will direct you all to the gym." Arata said. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>The other girl spoke up first. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Alright then. I'm <strong>Koharu Akifumi, Ultimate Historian</strong>."</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>This girl had dark skin and brown hair that was tied into a top bun. She wore square framed glasses. She had a normal white tshirt with a coffee brown long sleeved cardigan over it. She had black pants on. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>'Koharu Akifumi? Didn't my mentor mention her name once? He said she's been to every history museum in the world. She must be really dedicated' Arata thought.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>This girls personality so far seemed to be really bland.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Alright, I'll go next. I'm <strong>Atsu Kenshin. They call me the Ultimate Swindler</strong>, but that's not true. I promise I'm actually a pretty honest guy." </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>This boy had short black hair that looked a bit spiky. He wore a long sleeved leather collared jacket and a worn out blue undershirt. He had denim pants and brown boots.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata stared at him with a disbelieving look. This guy seemed like the person that would break hearts on a daily basis. Why were these girls cornering him like that? Actually, he didn't want to know. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Apparently, he wasn't the only suspicious one since Koharu was giving the swindler a death glare.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Alright. The gym is back down the way I came. Please head that way." </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata turned and exited the library. He was getting less patient as time wore on.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>—————————————————————-</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Stop following me..."</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Hmm....no." </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"....why?"</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Because I wanna stick with you! You seem like a real mystery...Hehehe~"</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata became aware of two different voices that sounded like they were nearby. He looked around and was met with the sight of a tall boy and short girl. </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>From the look of it, the girl was annoyed by the boy that was following her. The exact second that Arata peeked around the corner, the taller boy noticed him immediately.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Oh ho ho! Looks like we have us a stalker. Hello there buddy! Care to join us?" </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>The boy spoke with a rough and surprisingly passive voice. But anyone could see that his words were full of energy and many many hidden intentions.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Uh, no. I was just searching for people when I found you two. The gym is back the way I came from. Please go to it so we can start the entrance ceremony."</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata's words were as blunt as ever. He honestly didn't like people like this. But he noticed that the girl hadn't even spoken to him yet. In fact, she had her eyes closed and she appeared to be swaying slightly on her feet.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Entrance ceremony huh? Are you like the hall monitor or something? You look like you've been homeschooled your whole life man!" </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>This boy was really starting to get on Arata's nerves. Who the hell did he think he was anyways. He had no idea what Arata's past was like, So what gave him the right to say things like that?</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Listen, headband. Just tell me your name then go to the gym. I don't wanna talk to you much more." </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Ooooo~ Such a snarky hall monitor! Well then, my name is <strong>Hideshi Nakashima</strong>. As for my Ultimate talent....hmm...I'm not gonna tell you!"</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>(This boy had short spiky orange hair and orange eyes with a black headband wrapped around his head. He wore a light green jacket with a pink and white patterned inside. He had a gray undershirt. He wore light brown baggy pants.)</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Instead of introducing himself like he usually would in return, Arata turned his gaze towards the girl, who still looked to be in a daze.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Hey...What's your name?" </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata called out to the girl but received no answer. He waited a few seconds in silence before deciding to speak again. But before he could, Hideshi grabbed the girl by the shoulders and began shaking her.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"WAAAAAKKKKKEEEE UUUUUUPPPPPP!!!! YOU'RE GONNA BE LATE FOR THE BUUUUUUUSS!!"</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>'<em>I am seriously on the verge of killing him<em>.’</em></em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>The girl suddenly pulled away from Hideshi and began coughing. Soon it turned into a full blown coughing fit. Hideshi's eyes widened and he back away from the girl hopping up in down in what appeared to be a panicking way.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Huh?! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to do anything! I swear!"</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata was more surprised by how quickly Hideshi's personality changed, rather than the coughing girl. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Rushing to the girls side, he placed a hand on her shoulder.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Hey...listen to me. Take a deep breath. Don't try to force yourself though." </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata sounded oddly like a protective older brother. His voice was calm and confident. Soon enough, the girl stopped coughing and collapsed. He stared down at her then sighed. He assumed she had passed out from exhaustion. He looked over at Hideshi, who was staring at him with wide eyes. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Did she tell you her name?"</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Uh....y-yeah...I think it was <strong>Yuu</strong>. She said something about being the <strong>Ultimate Daydreamer.</strong>"</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>(This girl looked young enough to be a grade schooler. She was very short. She had long wavy turquoise hair. She wore a dress that reached down to her knees. The top of the dress was dark gray and long sleeved with a collar. A black bow was tied around her waist and the bottom of the dress was black. She wore black tights and black shoes.)</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>'Ultimate Daydreamer? Guess that explains why she was so tired.'</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Okay Nakashima-san, can you carry her to the gym? As I said, it was back the way I came from."</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Hideshi looked confused before nodding hesitantly. He walked up and pulled the girl onto his back. He looked like he was really struggling. And just like that, Hideshi began to carry the girl back the way that Arata had just come from. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>When the two were out of sight, Arata continued moving down the hallway. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>'Guess he's not such a bad guy. He may be like me. He doesn't seem to know the things he says and does are wrong.'</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata stared ahead. He was passing a few classrooms. The hallway he was in seemed oddly familiar to the one he had started in. Eventually, he ended up at what was supposed to be the entrance of the school. He stopped and stared at it with an incredibly confused look.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>He took his map out of his pants pocket and tried to make out where he was exactly. He looked back up at the place the entrance should have been. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>It looked to be the exit to a fallout shelter. A metal door surrounded by all sorts of weird security.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>'What the hell is this? Where's the entrance?' </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"So you noticed it too huh?"</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Normally, anyone would have jumped in surprise at the sound of the girls voice. But in Arata's case, he didn't, because he had known the girl was there when he walked into the room. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Who are you?" He asked</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"I was going to ask you the same thing."</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata narrowed his eyes at this girl. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"I'm Arata Katsune, The Ultimate Survivor."</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Nice to meet you Katsune-san. I'm <strong>Kotori Kaminaga. The Ultimate Investigator</strong>."</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>(This girl had long platinum blonde hair. She wore a black jacket and a v-neck brown shirt underneath. And underneath that was a white collared shirt. She wore a black half tie and a black skirt.)</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>'Investigator? Like a detective?'</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata stared at the girl for a moment. He folded his map back up and put it into his pocket once more. He looked back at the door. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"We should go to the gymnasium. They'll probably tell us why this is here." Kotori said.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Before Arata could respond, the investigator was already on her way to the gym. He sighed before following after her.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>——————————————————————</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata squinted as he and Kotori entered the gymnasium. He still would never get used to the drastic change in light. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust but once they did, he could see that there were fourteen other students in the room, not including Kotori and himself.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Arata-kun! We think all the students are here! Did you go to get them! Wow you're so nice!"</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata stared at the puppet with an awkward smile. He was really trying to not be rude. He didn't want to hurt Haru's feelings by refusing to talk to her just because she talked through a puppet. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Uh..thanks. Have you seen any adults yet?"</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Now that you say it, We don't think we have." </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>The puppet placed its paw under its chin in what looked to a be a thinking way. Arata shuddered. This puppet was way to lifelike for his liking. He turned his head to the people that were gathered nearby the stage. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"We should probably head over to where everyone is. Come on." </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>For whatever reason, Arata reached out to take Haru's arm so that he could lead the girl over to where everyone else was. But he stopped when Haru jerked her arm away from him. He froze.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>She was looking up at him. This was the first time he's gotten a good look at her eyes. He felt a chill run down his spine. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>They were red. The scariest part wasn't the color, but it was the lack of emotion in her eyes. It was like staring at nothing. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Alright! We'll go first Arata-kun!" The puppet said.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>And with that, Haru made her way over to where the rest of the students were. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata remained staring after her before he finally went to stand with the rest of them. He stood in the center of the group. He looked around at students gathered around him. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"<strong>Testing. Testing. Can y'all hear me?</strong>"</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata perked up as he heard a voice from the speakers. All sixteen students turned their heads towards the podium that was on the stage. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Each student had a different look on their face as they saw what happened next. All of them had seen their own set of weird things through their life. But none of the sixteen kids that were gather there were prepared for a black and white stuffed bear to appear on the podium.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"<strong>Welcome students to Soaring Heights High School! I am your Headmaster, Monokuma!</strong>"</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>The bear paused, as if he were expecting everyone to praise him and shout how excited they were to see him. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Wha..I-is this...a jo-joke?" Riku sputtered.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"That's...a stuffed animal right? I can't be the only one seeing this right now." Hideshi said.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Demon! I will purge you from that stuffed animal and send you spiraling back into the dark flames of hell!" Yami yelled.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Monokuma began to wave his tiny arms frantically.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"<strong>Hey! I ain't no demon! I'm the Headmaster of this school! And if you all wanna hear what I have to say, then I suggest you shut your yaps!</strong>"</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>The students looked as if they were to protest, but they remained silent. Monokuma smiled. This was going better than he thought it would.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"<strong>Alright! Thank you for all attending this entrance ceremony! I'm sure you all have a lot of question. And I'm sure you all noticed how boarded up this school seems to be. That's because you have all been trapped in this school! You can search all you want, but that door is the only way out of here. And only I know how to open it! Upupupupu~</strong>"</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Monokuma watched as his words hit the students like bricks. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"What?! What do you mean we're trapped in here?" Sora asked.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Explain yourself, demon!" Yami shouted.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Thou can't be telling the truth to us! I refuse to believe such forgery!" Theo spoke.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Monokuma stared at the kids that were now in a panic. Guess it was time to explain himself.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"<strong>Upupu~! I'm telling you the cold bitter truth! I have taken this school into my paws and converted it into my own inescapable shelter! Now, ah, make no mistake—you few students, so full of potential, represent the hope of the world. And to protect such splendid hope... you will all live a communal life together solely within the confines of this school. Everyone will live in harmony together, and adhere to the rules and regulations of the school. I am not screwing with you! I am no liar, of that I can be 100% sure. No matter how much you may yell and scream for help...help will not come. So with all of that in mind, feel free to live out your life here with reckless abandon!</strong>”</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>This sent the students into a frenzy.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"What about our families?! They'll know that we're missing!" Sora protested.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"<strong>Trust me, they won't. But there is one thing I forgot to mention. There is one way to escape this school, if you don't wish to live here forever.</strong>"</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>That grabbed everyone's attention at once and the room when silent as their protests died out. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"And what would that be?" Arata asked.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"<strong>Upupupupu~...You'll have to murder one of your classmates, and get away with it.</strong>”</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Nothing could be said to describe the overwhelming despair that swept through that room once the word 'murder' was spoken.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Murder...?" Koharu repeated.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Explain." </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Everyone's eyes turned to the Ultimate Luckster who had just spoken. Some were disgusted, while others were shocked and annoyed.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"<strong>You got it, Bucksaplenty! The rules of this killing game can be found on your Monopads, which I have placed in your assigned dorm rooms. To escape this school, you have to commit murder and get away with it. How you commit the murder doesn't matter. Stabbing, strangling, bludgeoning, crushing, hacking, drowning, igniting, how you do it doesn't matter. You must kill someone if you want to leave. It's as simple as that. The rest is up to you. Give it your all to achieve the best outcome in the worst way impossible.</strong>”</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>A few students looked like they were going to be sick. The weight of the situation seemed to be finally getting to them.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"<strong>And just because you're in a killing game, doesn't mean there aren't regular rules. Any naughty boy or girl who violates my rules won't get off with just a little swat on the butt.</strong>"</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"If this is a killing game like you say, then why are you putting in regular rules? Wouldn't they only restrict us from committing a murder?" Kichino asked.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"<strong>Rules restrict, yes, but they also protect. Society, for example, would be utter chaos without laws. The same thing applies here! Which is why it's crucial we have strict punishments in place for violators. Please enjoy your abundantly dreary school life! And...see ya!</strong>"</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>With that, Monokuma waved goodbye then disappeared behind the podium.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>————————————————————</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata could barely comprehend the entire situation. The students around him were going crazy at this point. He then noticed that Yami had gotten onto the stage and was now searching around the podium.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>It was apparent, due to the look on her face, that she didn't know where Monokuma disappeared to. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Listen to me classmates! Don't take that demons words to heart! We will most certainly find a way to escape this school! One way or another, I will guide you to victory!! But I need you to lend me your hope!" </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>The exorcist's words echoed throughout the gym, grabbing everyone's attention in an instant. A few people still looked doubtful of what Yami had said. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"I agree. We shouldn't just give up yet. We haven't even looked around the school yet. We don't know if that bear thing was even telling the truth."</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata hadn't expected himself to speak up, but he knew that he had to.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Now everyone! Follow my instructions. We must search for our dorm rooms and find this 'Monopad' that the demon speaks of. Then we must read the rules that are written within them. This is so we will not have any unwanted trouble when we search this school top to bottom!" Yami said.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>The students seemed to agree that this was the most logical course of action to take.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Yami then hopped off of the stage and stood in front of the group. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Girls must come with me. I know the location of our dormitories. Arata-kun! You lead the boys to their dormitories." </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata froze as he was chosen to lead the boys. He was reluctant to agree but he just wanted to get away from these people as soon as possible. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Before he could respond, Yami had rounded up the girls and was now directing them out of the gymnasium. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata became aware that all the boys in the room were now staring at him. He gulped. This wasn't stress inducing at all.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>'<em>Jeez. Thanks Zenaku-san.<em>'</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</em></em></p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Follow me. I'll show you to the boys dormitories. When we get there, I'm guessing you should find your room and search for that Monopad thing he was talking about." </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>After his explanation, he began to make his way towards the door. He looked back to make sure that the other boys were following him. Sure enough, they were. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>He made his way into the hallway, giving his eyes a second to adjust to the painfully dim lighting. He took a right and continued that way till he reach a two way intersection. He took a left and continued that way. When he reached another intersection, he looked to his left. He spotted the lone wooden door at the end of that hallway.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata led the group down the hallway and grabbed the metal doorknob. He pulled it open and the boys filed into the room. They looked around at all the doors. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata didn't notice this before, but each door had a nameplate on it. Each of the boys set off to look for their assigned dorm. He noticed that one boy still stood in he center of the room. He hadn't seen him before.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>'Might as well introduce myself.' </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata approached the boy in the most calm way that he could. After all, the boy looked scared enough as it was.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Hey. My name's Arata Katsune. I'm the Ultimate Survivor. What's your name?"</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>The boy stared at him with a contemplative look before responding.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Oh...hello....My name is <strong>Yukio Samuru. I'm the...Ultimate Mad Scientist.</strong>”</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em> (This boy had short black hair that was mostly covered by a baseball cap. He wore a facial mask that covered his mouth and nose. He wore a green collared shirt that was lined in black. He wore black pants)
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</em></p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>'<em>Mad Scientist?<em>'</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</em></em></p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Before Arata even got a chance to question him, Yukio was quick to interject.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"I am aware that my talent is strange. Please do not talk about it anymore."</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata immediately nodded. He knew that it was probably personal for the boy, so he didn't press him any further on the subject. He knew not everyone wanted to be recognized for their talent, and Arata himself was one of those people.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>He turned and made his way down the line of doors. Eventually, he found a door that had his name on it, he grabbed the metal doorknob and pushed open the door. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata glanced around the bedroom. He noted each of the things in the room. Bed, desk, dresser, table, bathroom.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>It was simple. He moved into the room and glanced towards the bed. His eyes locked on something shiny that sat in the center of it.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>'<em>This must be the Monopad that Monokuma was talking about.<em>'</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</em></em></p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata took the device in his hands and tapped the screen. The black screen lit up and displayed his name. Then the screen went blank and many options appeared. He saw one that said: map. That would be handy. He clicked on the regulations and a bunch of words appeared on the screen. He read them aloud to himself:</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Rule 1: Students are restricted from breaking or opening the gate that leads to the other floors until told otherwise<br/>
Rule 2: "Nighttime" is from 10 pm to 7 am. Some areas are off-limits at night, so please exercise caution.<br/>
Rule 3: Sleeping anywhere other than your dorm after the nighttime announcement is forbidden.<br/>
Rule 4: With minimal restrictions, you are free to explore Soaring Heights High School at your discretion.<br/>
Rule 5: Violence against headmaster Monokuma is strictly prohibited, as is destruction of surveillance cameras.<br/>
Rule 6: Anyone who kills a fellow student and becomes "blackened" will graduate, unless they are discovered.<br/>
Rule 7: Additional school regulations may be added if necessary.<br/>
Rule 8: The blackened can only kill two students, if more than that, a punishment will be given.<br/>
Rule 9: If equal votes are given to two students, both will be executed as long as one of them is the blackened.<br/>
Rule 10: Using the Monopad of another student is strictly prohibited.<br/>
Rule 11: The body announcement will only activate when three or more students discover the dead body, including the blackened.<br/>
Rule 12: Students are allowed to roam around the school after the nighttime announcement, and will be unpunished as long as they don't fall asleep outside of their dorm"</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata tightened his grip on his Monopad. He clenched his teeth slightly. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>'<em>So this really isn't a joke. Someone actually expects us to kill each other.<em>'</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</em></em></p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>He turned off the screen and shoved the device into his jacket pocket. He turned and made his way out of the dorm room.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Before he exited, he caught a glimpse at the clock. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>6:37 pm.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata shut his door behind him and turned to the center of the room. His stomach growled. Oh yeah, he didn't eat anything today did he? He assumed that no one else did either. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>'There was a cafeteria on the map. Maybe we should head there.' </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata noticed that a couple of the boys had gathered in the center of the room and were chattering and pointing at their Monopads. He made his way towards them. There were only four of the boys there. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Hey. Listen. I'm sure you're all stressed about this situation, but I'm sure you're all as hungry as I am. How about we head to the cafeteria."</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Once more all eyes were on the Ultimate Survivor. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"G-good idea Katsune-kun. I'm actually r-really hungry." Riku stuttered.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"I agree. It feels like I haven't eaten in days." Ren said.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Once again, Arata was thrown off by how calm his voice was, especially in a situation like this.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Of course, young king! The flames of hunger are tearing away at my stomach!" Theo exclaimed.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"...sure..." Yukio said quietly.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Alright, I'm gonna go get the rest of us. You four can head off to the cafeteria. The Monopad has a map on it."</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata watched as the small group of boys left through the wooden door that led to the rest of the school. He noticed that Kichino had just exited his room and followed after the group without saying a word. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>He sighed. He went up to the door labeled: Hideshi Nakashima. He gently knocked on it. A yelp and a thump could be heard on the other side. Then the sound of someone scrambling to get up. The door opened and there stood Hideshi, looking dazed. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Nakashima-san, you're probably hungry, follow the map on your Monopad and go to the cafeteria." Arata instructed.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Aye aye captain." </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Hideshi put his hand up in a salute before stumbled out of the dorm. He looked like he could've hit his head. Arata watched as the boy pulled out his Monopad and set off in the direction the others had gone. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata moved onto the next room. It was labeled: Atsu Kenshin.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>He knocked on the door and a few moments later, the tall boy answered, holding his own Monopad. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Oh. Hey Katsune-san. I was just gonna go find where the cafeteria was." </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata nodded. He moved out of his way. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"That's what I was gonna get you for, but it seems you're one step ahead. You can go. I'm not gonna stop you." Arata said.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Atsu nodded and took off in the same direction that the rest of them had gone. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>'<em>I think that was all of them. I should be heading there too.<em>' He thought.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</em></em></p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>He pulled up the map on his Monopad and exited the boys dormitory. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em> <em>Are you still here? </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</em></p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>Can you figure out my personality a bit better now. </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>Told you I wasn't a bad guy. I just didn't know how to be a good guy.....that's all....I'm no killer....</em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>....</em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>None of us were...<em> <em></em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</em></p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Too see what my characters actually look like, go to my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Nighttime</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Arata looked down at the map that was on his Monopad. He followed the directions and began to make his way towards the cafeteria. When he looked up, he noticed that there was someone standing in the hallway. </p><p>It was Takara-san.</p><p>Arata stared at the Illustrator. Her expression made it clear that she was distressed. He contemplated approaching the girl to see if she was alright. He knew he wasn't good at being moral support.</p><p>He finally gave in and approached the girl. He turned his Monopad off and put it into his pocket. </p><p>"Hey. Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."</p><p>Sora jumped slightly, as if she hadn't been expecting someone to actually talk to her. </p><p>"Oh! Um...hi Arata...I was just....wandering around...cause...why not y'know."</p><p>Her voice was shaky and she looked like she was forcing herself to smile. Arata narrowed his eyes. Even someone like him could tell that this girl was lying to herself.</p><p>"Okay...You're worried about the killing game right? I am too. Forcing us to kill each other is terrible."</p><p>Arata knew he wouldn't get anywhere with lying to this girl, so he decided to be as frank as possible.</p><p>"Yeah....do you...think we're gonna be okay? I mean...no one would actually kill someone...right?"</p><p>"Actually, We can't be certain. The person who trapped us here said that this was a game. Games have rules. He said we'd be trapped here for the rest of our lives if we didn't want to murder anyone. Being trapped in a place like this could drive anyone mad."</p><p>Arata's words were cold but they were the truth. He knew that Sora was staring at him in shock but he didn't care. His face remained neutral. </p><p>"I guess...you're right. Y'know, I came to Japan to study abroad. I'm half-japanese and I always enjoyed its culture. I was only living here for a couple years before this school scouted me as the Ultimate Illustrator. My family is still in America. I never thought something like this would happen...I just couldn't help but wondering...what I did to deserve this..."</p><p>Arata listened to the girls words. He had already know that the girl was American, mostly do to her lack of honorifics, but he didn't know that she had been living in Japan without her family. </p><p>'<em>I wonder what it's like to have a family...<em>'</em></em></p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"None of us did anything. This is probably just another terrorist thing. I'm sure we'll be rescued soon. Till then, we can do our best to work together and find a way out of this place."</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Sora's face lit up slightly. He was confused when she started to giggle. Did he say something funny?</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>'<em>Wait, I don't know how to be funny.<em>'</em></em></em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Sorry Arata. You just sound a lot like my older sister. She's three years older than me. She always speak the truth, despite the consequences. Oh, was I rambling? Sorry about that."</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata felt his heart grow warm at the comparison. He was happy to hear that he reminded someone of their family member. It gave him an idea of what a normal family would be like. He couldn't help but smile softly.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"I'm glad I remind you of your family Takara-san. I never thought I would. Anyways, I was heading to the cafeteria. You're probably hungry so you should come with me."</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata pulled out his Monopad and pulled the map back up again.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>————————————————————</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>By the time that Arata and Sora arrived at the cafeteria, almost all of the students had gathered there. They were eating food that everyone had assumed that someone had made. Sora waved goodbye to Arata then made her way over to talk with Koharu.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata made his way to where the food was lined up in the back of the cafeteria. He grabbed a plate and put a few things on it before heading to an empty table. He began to eat his food when he was interrupted by someone plopping down beside him. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Hello there Ultimate Survivor! Isn't this amazing! When we arrived here, the food was already made and it tastes amazing too!" Hideshi exclaimed.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Arata was in the middle of chewing his food. He swallowed and looked at the mystery boy.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Why are you sitting with me? Don't you have anyone else to talk to?"</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Hideshi tapped his chin in a mock-thinking way.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Nope! I wanted to talk to Yukio-chan but he told me to go away. So now tell me Arata-san, what's it like to be in <em>another killing game<em>?"</em></em></em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>Arata stopped eating as soon as the words left Hideshi's mouth. The entire room went silent and everyone looked towards the two boys. Not a single sound could be heard. It was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>"....what?" Arata managed to say.</em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>"Well, you are the Ultimate Survivor right? You must've been in a situation like this before. I mean really!"</em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>All the eyes were directed at the unknown ultimate. </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>"Young imbecile! Cease your chatter immediately! You do not hold the right to ask such a horrible and villainous question!"</em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>After he spoke, Theo grabbed the handle of the (hopefully fake) sword that he had attached to his belt holster. He unsheathed it and pointed it at Hideshi, as if challenging him. </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>Hideshi's face immediately grew pale and he fell backwards in his chair. He scurried to his feet and backed away.</em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>"W-what the hell! Why do you have a sword?!" Hideshi asked.</em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>Theo smirked and lowered the sword. He placed it back in its sheath and stared at the boy.</em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>"It is not a real one. But, although it is not real, it's made of a tough plastic that will still be able to pierce human skin."</em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>Arata stared between the two boys. His guard was still up. The tension in the room was thick enough to cut through.</em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>Theo turned to Arata and took a knee in front of him, as if he were bowing to a king.</em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>Slowly, the chatter in the room began to pick up again and soon things were back to normal. Hideshi remained curled up in the corner of the cafeteria, sulking.</em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>"Hey, you didn't have to do that. It was kind of extreme too." Arata said.</em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>Theo got back to his feet and shook his head.</em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>"Falsehood! I will not let such crime go unpunished. He must learn that asking such questions is a terrible thing to do." Theo exclaimed.</em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>Once again, the Ultimate Thespian struck a pose every few sentences. He then turned and continued to converse with the other students. </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>Arata began to finish his meal and stood up from his chair. He took his empty plate and brought it into the kitchen area. He placed it into the sink. He turned and froze as he locked eyes with a girl that he hadn't seen before. </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>(She had shoulder length bright blue hair with a few streaks of white. She wore a simple white tshirt and black pants)</em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>They stared at each other in silence for a moment before the girl moved past him. She placed her plate in the sink just as he had, then turned and left the kitchen without saying a word.</em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>Arata looked after her with a baffled look. What was that about?</em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>He made his way out of the kitchen and looked at all the students. He spotted Sora standing by herself. He made his way towards her and she smiled at him when she saw him approaching.</em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>"Hey...um...can I ask you something?" Arata asked.</em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>Sora tilted her head to the side and then nodded.</em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>"Go for it."</em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>Arata scanned the cafeteria and spotted the girl he had seen in the kitchen. She was leaning against the wall, staring at the floor.</em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>"Do you know who that is? I never got her name." </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>Sora looked to where Arata was staring and soon found out who he was talking about.</em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>"Um...I think I remember. She's <strong>Sara Ikeda, the Ultimate Markswoman</strong>...I think."</em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>'<em>Ultimate Markswoman. I've heard that they work with guns and bows.<em>'</em></em></em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>Arata nodded. He allowed his gaze to drift away from the girl. </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>"Oh and Arata, sorry about what Hideshi said to you. He seems like a real jerk."</em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>Arata waved his hands dismissively. </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>"No need to apologize. He's probably learned his lesson." </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>Sora looked doubtful but she nodded anyways. Arata looked over at the clock that was on the wall.</em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>8:56 pm.</em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>'<em>Wow. A lot of time passed. Wait, didn't the rules say that nighttime began at 10:00 pm.<em>'</em></em></em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Arata's thoughts were interrupted by Yami.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>"Attention classmates! Nighttime is closing in. I suggest we head back to our rooms now. You may roam around until 10:00 but after then, no one must leave their room, for safety reasons. We shall begin our search for an exit tomorrow. Let us gather here for breakfast after daytime begins! Now! Disperse!"</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Everyone was most likely too afraid of the exorcist to disagree with her. So one by one, the students began to set off. Some went to their dorms, while others roamed around the school. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>When Arata looked up again, he realized he was the only one left in the room. He sighed and reached into his pocket. He pulled out his Monopad and pulled up the map again. He made his way out of the room and grunted as something slammed into him at full force.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>He managed to stay on his feet but the other person had not. Their headphones fell off their head and they sat on the ground, dazed.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>"You should be more careful." Arata said.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Kanon scratched the back of her neck awkwardly and got to her feet. She looked around and grabbed her headphones. She put them back on her head. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>"Sorry Arata-chan! I gotta blow off steam somehow. I actually just made a full lap of the school! Wanna join me for my next lap? Imma gonna try it with my eyes closed!" The DJ exclaimed.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Arata was intrigued by how this girl could act like herself when they were told that they were trapped in here and forced to murder each other. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>He opened his mouth to decline her offer but she seemed to predict what he was gonna say.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>"Buh bye! Gotta go fast!"</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Arata watched as the energetic girl ran off down the hallway. He sighed and looked down at his Monopad once more. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>'<em>Wait. Is there seriously an indoor garden here?<em>'</em></em></em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>He stared at the map in awe. Apparently to get there, you had to go through a door in the cafeteria. He entered the cafeteria and stared. How had he not seen the glass wall that revealed a forest looking setting beyond it?</em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>He went towards it and opened the door. He entered the indoor garden and closed the door behind him. He breathed in a deep breath of air. It almost seemed like he was actually outside. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>Arata noticed movement in the corner of his eye. He looked to the right and saw that he wasn't alone, although, he wasn't surprised by who was there.</em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>"Oh, hello Katsune-kun. Did you come to see the plants as well? I'm surprised this school managed to keep these plants this well kept." </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>The Ultimate Botanist looked as calm as ever. His voice still sounded carefree. He was kneeling down beside a patch of small bright green clovers. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>"Actually, I just kind of wandered in here." Arata admitted.</em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>Ren looked up at him and laughed softly. Something about this boy put Arata at ease. He held the aura of someone who you would respect for no reason.</em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>"I don't understand how you can be so calm. Especially when we were told to murder each other." Arata finally caved.</em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>Ren lowered his eyes to look at the patch of clovers once more. His smile, strangely, didn't even waver in the slightest.</em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>"Ah...I just like to think about the positives of life. After all, it's short enough as it is. It's what you believe that makes a difference in your life. And I believe that we'll all be okay. After we escape, I'd like to be friends with the rest of our class."</em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>Arata felt a pang of sympathy in his heart. This boy was always smiling, and always looking on the bright side of things.</em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>'<em>People like him are usually the first to go mad.<em>'</em></em></em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>Arata stared at the botanist for a moment before deciding to speak again.</em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>"I never understand how people like you can be so carefree. Life isn't as easy as you think it is. In fact, life's a bitch. So if it's easy, you're probably doing it wrong."</em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>Ren  slowly got to his feet he turned towards Arata and gave him a friendly smile.</em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>"Life is what you want it to be. If you think it's a bitch, then it'll be a bitch. But if you think life is worth living, then that's what it'll be." Ren said.</em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>The botanist turned and continued further into the indoor garden. </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>Arata stared down at the patch of clovers that Ren was staring at. He never understood the beauty of nature. It was just something that didn't interest him. He turned and made his way back to the door he entered through and went back into the cafeteria.</em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>Just as he entered, the monitors in the room flickered on.</em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>"Mm, ahem, this is a school announcement. It is now 10 p.m. As such, it is officially nighttime. Soon the doors to the cafeteria will be locked. Okay then...sweet dreams, everyone! Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite..."</em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
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              </em>
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                            <em>Arata quickly made his way out of the cafeteria. He looked behind him and saw that Ren was walking out as well. Arata ran ahead until he got to the boys dorms. He stopped running when he reached the small wooden door. He opened it and made his way to his room.</em>
                          </em>
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                          <em>
                            <em>Once inside, he locked the door behind him and stared at the room, as if he were unsure of what to do next. He walked over to the desk and placed his Monopad on the side of it. He took his sneakers off and climbed into the bed. He didn't bother turning the light off. </em>
                          </em>
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                            <em>Arata didn't realize how utterly exhausted he was. </em>
                          </em>
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                            <em>'<em>I'll escape. Don't worry about it.<em>'</em></em></em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
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                                <em>That's what he told himself anyway. His eyelids began to grow heavy and he eventually gave into sleep.</em>
                              </em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
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                    </em>
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  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you want to see what the characters actually look like, then go to my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. A Day Like Any Other</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"<strong>Good morning, everyone! It is now 7 a.m. and nighttime is officially over! Time to rise and shine! Get ready to greet another beee-yutiful day!</strong>"</p><p>Arata blinked open his eyes. It took him some time to realize where he was. He groaned and forced himself to sit up. He rubbed his eyes and looked around the room. Great. He was still in hell.</p><p>He stood up and walked to his desk. He took his Monopad and put it in his pocket. He slipped his shoes on and began to make his way out of the dorm. He noticed that he wasn't the only one up. </p><p>"H-hello Katsune-kun. Are you g-gonna head d-down to the cafe-cafeteria?" Riku asked. </p><p>Arata nodded, confirming the assistant's question.</p><p>"Are you waiting for someone?" Arata asked. </p><p>Riku pushed his glasses up further and nodded. </p><p>"Ye-Yes. Me and Kazuhiko-kun a-agreed to walk to-to the cafeteria t-together. He said he gets l-lost easily, even with a-a map. So I said I-I'd he-help him." Riku explained. </p><p>Arata couldn't help but smirk. But it wasn’t in a good way. He still didn't understand how these people could become friends so quickly.</p><p>"Well, good luck to you." </p><p>With that, Arata exited the boys dormitories and began to make his way to the cafeteria. He didn't expect everyone to immediately go to the cafeteria. He's sure that a lot of them were tired and still stressed about their current situation. </p><p>Once he arrived at the cafeteria, he saw that there were only half the students there. The second he walked in, he was greeted with a loud voice. </p><p>"Arata-kun! Good morning to you. I hope that you slept well. We have a busy day ahead of us. I am going to need your hidden leadership to help us find our escape." Yami said.</p><p>Arata nodded groggily. He saw that, there was a buffet of breakfast laid out on a table in the back of the cafeteria, just like during dinner the previous night.</p><p>He went up and took a plate in his hands and put a few items on it. </p><p>'<em>Alright, Arata. Now that you're trapped in a school with them, you might wanna get to know some people.</em>'</p><p>His eyes flickered to a table in the corner where a girl looked like she was out cold. He immediately knew it was the girl that had passed out when they met. He made his way towards her table and sat down next her. </p><p>Arata reached out and gently shook the girls shoulder. </p><p>"Hey. Yuu-san. Wake up. You should probably eat something." Arata said.</p><p>Yuu slowly lifted her head and blinked her eyes a few times, adjusting to the sudden light. </p><p>"Oh...it's you....Hideshi-san said...you helped me before....so thank you...for that....Arata-san...." Yuu said.</p><p>'<em>I don't think I've ever heard her voice before.</em>' He thought.</p><p>"It was no problem. Here. Take the rest of this. It'll make you less sleepy."</p><p>Arata slid his half eaten plate of food towards Yuu. She hesitantly excepted it. She mumbled a 'thank you' under her breath. He nodded and stood up from his chair. </p><p>A few more people entered the cafeteria. According to his deductions, they were only missing Kichino, Haru, and Atsu.</p><p>He looked over and spotted Koharu. He made his way towards the historian. She noticed his approach and looked to the left and right uncomfortably.</p><p>"Hey. Whats up?" Arata asked.</p><p>Koharu opened her mouth to speak but quickly shut it again. She looked like she was thinking about what she was going to say.</p><p>"Hello."</p><p>An awkward silence fell between the two. Arata cleared his throat and started to talk again.</p><p>"So, how are you doing with the whole, killing game situation?"</p><p>Koharu visibly stiffened at the mention of the killing game. A shadow seemed to fall over her eyes as well. She hugged her arms to her sides.</p><p>"Honestly, I'm not taking it very well. I've never been in a situation like this before." </p><p>Arata felt instant regret for asking the question as soon as Koharu gave her answer.</p><p>"Oh...well look at it this way: our disappearance wouldn't have gone unnoticed. If we can't find a way out, then we can just wait to be rescued." Arata said.</p><p>He hated lying. It made him feel like he was cheating at life. But this girl seemed like she'd react badly to his intense honesty.</p><p>Koharu smiled weakly at the boy. She seemed convinced. Or so he thought.</p><p>"No....you're lying...if this is a terrorist, then they most likely are prepared for any if not all possibilities that they will be foiled."</p><p>Arata was taken aback by the girls sudden accusation, but then realized that her words were actually logically correct. </p><p>"I'm glad I don't have to lie to you then. That makes you one of the only people that truly comprehend the direness of the situation that we are currently in." Arata said.</p><p>Koharu nodded. </p><p>""Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it."" Koharu recited.</p><p>Arata smirked. At least someone understood.</p><p>————————————————————</p><p>Soon, the rest of the students arrived. Even Kichino. Although, he didn't seem to be happy about it because apparently, Yami had dragged him out of his room. Quite literally in fact.</p><p>Arata stared at the exorcist who was now standing in front of the group of students. </p><p>"Arata-kun! Take your stand next to me!" Yami instructed.</p><p>Arata didn't argue. He was glad when his ashen gray hair stayed over one of his eyes, so that his expression was less readable. But it's not that he cared. After all, his poker face was nearly unbreakable. </p><p>"Listen to me, classmates! You will be divided into groups that are chosen by me! We will search this school, top to bottom and then if nothing is found, we will report back here. But if you find something, report it to me or Arata-kun and we will investigate it immediately." Yami explained.</p><p>After that, she divided the students into groups of three.</p><p>Group 1: Yami, Haru, Riku</p><p>Group 2: Kanon, Atsu, Ren</p><p>Group 3: Arata, Kichino, Sara</p><p>Group 4: Sora, Koharu, Yukio</p><p>Group 5: Yuu, Hideshi, Kotori, Theo</p><p>After the groups were decided, Arata was instructed to take his group to the library to search it. And he did. </p><p>When the three students arrived at the library, they began to set off with searching. Arata couldn't help but feel uncomfortable with the silence that filled the room. He was with the two people that he probably has talked to the least.</p><p>"Katsune-san, was it? Ultimate Survivor? Sorry about not introducing myself. But I'm sure you already know my name by now."</p><p>Arata nearly jumped at the sound of Sara's voice. He hadn't even heard the girl talk to anyone but now she was talking to him? He turned to face her but was met with an intense glare.</p><p>"You should be more alert. If someone were to attack you from behind, then you'd be dead by now." </p><p>Arata could feel the ice in her words. They pierced him like daggers. He was about to speak when Sara turned away and continued searching on another side of the library. He noticed that Kichino was watching the two with minimal interest. But the Luckster then returned to his half-assed searching.</p><p>Arata continued to scan the shelves.</p><p>————————————————————————</p><p>12:30 pm</p><p>Arata sat at one of the tables in the cafeteria. He had made his way back to the cafeteria with his group about thirty minutes ago.</p><p>"Where in gods name is the rest of them? We were supposed to assemble thirty minutes ago." Kichino mumbled.</p><p>Arata rolled his eyes as he continued to tap his Monopad.</p><p>"Not everyone will be on time. Give them a little longer." Arata deadpanned.</p><p>Kichino clicked his tongue in annoyance and left the cafeteria. Arata watched him leave.</p><p>'<em>Good riddance.</em>'</p><p>————————————————————————</p><p>"Hear me, classmates! I know that we could not find a way out, but do not lose hope! I assure you that help is on its way! It will not be long until we are rescued. Surely, the disappearance of a group of Ultimates will not be overlooked. Until then, be patient and stay aware! That is all. If you have any questions, console to me or Arata-kun."</p><p>Almost everyone was ready to agree with Yami, that is, until a certain mystery student opened his mouth.</p><p>"Why should we even be listening to you? Didn't you try to exorcise the bear? You know demons and stuff aren't real right?" Hideshi spoke up.</p><p>Nearly everyone groaned in annoyance when they heard his voice.</p><p>Yami's eyes became serious and immediately silenced the entire room. Slowly and steadily, she stalked towards Hideshi.</p><p>"Wha-"</p><p>Hideshi was cut off when Yami put the boy in something akin to a headlock. He made a choking noise of surprise. Everyone stared at the two in shock. Arata managed to hold back a smirk.</p><p>"Listen here you spawn of hell. You will not address me in such a way ever again! I see the spirit that possesses your body and I will be the one to rid you of evil. Until then, silence yourself." Yami deadpanned.</p><p>Hideshi was now gasping for air and jerking around wildly. He stumbled away once Yami let him go. He whimpered in fear as he tripped on his way out the door. </p><p>After that, the rest of the students decided to not discuss what had just happened. </p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>Arata looked up at the clock in his room. </p><p>1:30 pm</p><p>'<em>Looks like I have some free time on my hands. Guess I'll go see who's around.</em>'</p><p>Arata made his way out of his room and looked around the boys dorm. He noticed that Atsu was staring at his Monopad while leaning against the wall.</p><p>He approached him calmly.</p><p>"Oh, what's up Katsune-san? Looking for someone?" Atsu asked.</p><p>Arata shook his head.</p><p>"I was just looking for someone to hang out with." Arata explained.</p><p>Atsu nodded, understandably.</p><p>"That's cool. Wanna hang with me? I don't think I know much about you." Atsu suggested.</p><p>"Sure. Guess it wouldn't hurt anyone." Arata said.</p><p>————————————————————————</p><p>"Y'know Katsune-san, you're not such a bad guy. You just don't seem very social." Atsu said.</p><p>Arata shook his head.</p><p>"Thanks. I guess you aren't such a bad guy either. You just tend to bluff a lot." Arata said.</p><p>"Ah, guess you caught me. They do call me the Ultimate Swindler, but my talent means nothing without my pawnshop. I owned one in my hometown and that's how I got recognized for my talent because apparently I got away with selling people a lot of faulty stuff." Atsu admitted.</p><p>Arata nodded. That did explain a lot about this guy. He wasn't actually a bad person, he was just a good person with not so good hobbies. He was actually pretty calm and understanding.</p><p>"The reason I had a pawnshop was because it's been in my family for many years. I come from a long line of pawnbrokers. It's on my dads side of the family though. I never actually knew my mother cause my dad was a type of guy that had one night stands. The funny thing was that apparently, my mother tracked him down, gave me to him, and then left." Atsu said, chuckling awkwardly.</p><p>Arata raised an eyebrow. Sounded like this guys mom wasn't ready to be a mother.</p><p>"Guess that serves him right for jumping from woman to woman like that." Arata said.</p><p>Atsu laughed at that. </p><p>"Yeah. But he's not actually that bad of a man. He's like me. He's a really good guy. He once was nearly killed when he ran after a car that had just hit and run. He chased after them on foot! He jumped onto the hood and the car swerved and hit a lamppost." Atsu said.</p><p>It was clear the the swindler was trying to hold in laughter. </p><p>Arata sighed.</p><p>(Recieved a Hope fragment)</p><p>'<em>Looks like he had a pretty good time.</em>'<br/>
————————————————————————</p><p>Arata exited the boys dormitory. It was currently 4:45 pm. He still had a lot of time before dinner, which was decided to be a 7:00 pm. He sighed. </p><p>"<strong>Hey there Ultimate Survivor! Thinking about killing someone? Upupu~ my fur just tingles with anticipation of bloodshed.</strong>"</p><p>Arata held back a sigh of annoyance as he heard the voice of Monokuma. He turned around and, sure enough, there he was. The mechanical bear in all its glory.</p><p>"Do not talk to me. You won't win. The students here have hope." Arata said.</p><p>"<strong>Oh? Do they now? Well you'd be surprised how quickly hope submits to despair.</strong>"</p><p>"I don't have to talk to you."</p><p>"<strong>What about you huh? You don't seem to have much hope in you. For the Ultimate Survivor, you don't seem confident in your own survival. Upupupu~.</strong>"</p><p>Arata stared at the black and white bear with a look that could kill anyone. His gaze was filled with such hidden anger and malice that one might have to rethink their life after looking into his eyes. </p><p>"I said. Do. Not. Talk. To. Me. I don't know who's controlling you, but listen to me. I won't die. No matter what you do. So back the hell off you fucking terrorist." Arata deadpanned.</p><p>The Monokuma looked incredibly disturbed by what the survivor had said. </p><p>"<strong>Dear lord! I was just playing around you bastard! Jeez, humor a bear, will ya!</strong>"</p><p>Arata didn't respond as Monokuma scampered off. He turned and continued his way down the hallway. He took a few turns and ended up at the gymnasium once more. He noticed that someone was sitting on the stage. </p><p>Once again, Arata wasn't surprised about who it was. The Ultimate Thespian seemed to be doing nothing. He calmly approached the boy and climbed onto the stage.</p><p>"Hey. What're you doing?" Arata asked.</p><p>Theo opened his eyes and looked at Arata.  </p><p>"Ah! Hello Arata-dono! Would you like to join me in my meditation? It clears the mind of humans and tends to extinguish their worries." </p><p>"Sure." Arata said. “I don’t care either way.”</p><p>————————————————————————</p><p>Arata opened his eyes again. That was surprisingly relaxing. </p><p>'<em>Guess he was right. That was kinda relaxing.</em>'</p><p>"Where did you learn meditation from Aurora-san?" Arata asked. </p><p>Theo turned toward him with an excited look in his eyes. </p><p>"I'm glad you asked! I learned meditation from my mentor. He taught me everything I know about the art of acting and drama! He also taught me that this type of meditation can only be done when the sun is up. It is unsuccessful to try it at night. He was an amazing mentor and I'm sure you two would have gotten along well!" Theo exclaimed quickly.</p><p>Arata could barely keep up with this guys words. He didn't know how one person could talk so quickly. </p><p>"Oh, and did you know, I made this sword myself? It took me two years to get all of the correct supplies for it but I feel like this is my best piece of work!" Theo said, unhooking the fake sword from his belt. He handed it to Arata who hesitantly took it in his hands. </p><p>Arata unsheathed the fake sword. He stared at it in awe. It looked like it was one hundred percent real. It even had an inscription on the blade part. It read:</p><p>Winston's Arc</p><p>'<em>Is that the name of the sword or the name of the owner. Or the name of a play?<em>'</em></em></p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Theo seemed to notice what Arata was staring at and spoke up.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"Ah, 'Winston's Arc'. That's the name of the first successful play that I've ever written and preformed in. Have you heard of it before?" Theo asked.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata sheathed the sword and handed it back to Theo.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"I remember someone at my orphanage mentioning a play. I don't remember the name but I think that might've been it." Arata said.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Theo's smile dropped for a moment when he heard Arata say 'orphanage'. He quickly replaced his smile with a look of sympathy.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>He hated that look.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>——————————————————————</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>After that, Arata exited the gymnasium. He took his Monopad out of his pocket and checked the time. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>6:57 pm</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>'<em>Oh shit. Guess I lost track of time.</em>'</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata rushed to the cafeteria and stopped when he arrived there. He saw the same buffet of food in the back and people were just starting to arrive.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>He got his food then sat down at an empty table. He thought about how the day went. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>'<em>Never knew that hanging out with people would be...not completely useless...</em>'</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata was snapped out of his thoughts as someone sat at his table. He looked over and was surprised to see Yukio sitting there. Arata noticed that the boy didn't have any food with him. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"Are you gonna eat something?" Arata asked.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Yukio shook his head and pointed at the mask that covered the lower half of his face.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"I don't eat in front of people. My face is....disturbing...." Yukio mumbled.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata watched as the boy pulled the rim of his hat further over his eyes. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>'<em>What's with this guy. Is he scared of something?</em>'</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata finished his meal by the time everyone had arrived at the Cafeteria, except Kichino. But no one really expected the Luckster to cooperate much. After all, he was raised in a rich and successful family name. On top of that, Arata heard that every since Kichino was born, the boys parents have never been more successful.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>'<em>Guess he really is lucky.</em>'</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata stood up and picked up his empty plate. He brought it to the sink in the kitchen then went to join the rest of his classmates. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>He leaned against the wall and watched the group converse with each other. He's never talked to people very much. He has major trust issues. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>'<em>Does anyone really blame me for not trusting people?</em>' He asked himself.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata became aware of someone standing next to him. He looked over and discovered that it was Haru. She was staring at the floor and facing him.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"Hello Arata-kun! I have something to request of you!" The puppet spoke.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>He international cringed as he realized he was gonna have to talk to an animate object. He mentally groaned.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"What is it?" Arata asked.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"You are a very good person Arata-kun! Sora-san says so as well! I wanted to request that you become friends with Haru-chan! You seem like you'll be a great influence on her and convince her to show her emotions more!" The puppet said.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata's gaze lowered to the girl that was holding the puppet. She was still staring blankly at the ground in disinterest. Seriously, it was like her and the puppet were two separate minds.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"....alright...I guess." Arata agreed, reluctantly.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>He mostly agreed to do it since he didn't know what would happen if he said no. Not like he could say no. He might be cold but he wasn't completely heartless.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>The puppet seemed to become happy by his agreement, which scared the everloving shit out of him. Seeing a puppet show a human emotion is terrifying.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"Hurray! Thank you Arata-kun! I hope we can get along until we are rescued!" The puppet exclaimed. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata noticed that Haru had a small smile on her face. He forced a smile.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>————————————————————————</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>"<strong>Mm, ahem, this is a school announcement. It is now 10 p.m. As such, it is officially nighttime. Soon the doors to the cafeteria will be locked. Okay then...sweet dreams, everyone! Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite...</strong>"</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata sighed as he put down the book that he had been reading. It was a mystery novel. He had gotten it from the library as well. He laid his head down on his pillow and stared up at the ceiling. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>'<em>There are so many talented people here. I only got scouted because I'm too stubborn to die. They're all good people. Even Nakashima-san. Maybe. They're....not like me....they want to help the world with their talents....while I just want to survive....</em>'</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Arata squeezed his eyes shut. Now wasn't the time to be thinking about that. He just needed to sleep.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Tomorrow is another day.</em>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you want to see what my characters actually look like, go to my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Secrets That We Keep</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Arata tripped and fell. He felt a shock from the collar around his neck. He screeched in agony.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Come on kid. You gotta keep moving or the collar will keep shocking you." His ear piece said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata broke into a fit of coughing which ended with him coughing up blood. He struggled to get to his feet and kept moving through the maze. There was a hole on his leg from when a bullet had passed straight through it. Another laceration on his arm as well.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nonetheless, he continued into the maze. He cried out as the floor beneath him started to crumble and spikes shot out of the holes in the floor. They impaled Arata in his foot and in his arm and thigh.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tears streamed down his face. No 11 year old should have to live like this. It was barely living at all. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I d-don't wanna do this!! It hurts! Please let me out of here! I don't wanna die! Please please please please please..." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata's cries for help were drowned out by the yelling in his ear piece.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You don't have a choice, kid. Just keep running or you won't get to eat again. We need you to stay alive. So if you really want to live, then keep running and stop crying about it." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The spikes retracted back into the ground, allowing him to continue moving forward.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata continued to limp through the maze. He was sobbing and choking on his own tears. Everything hurt. He couldn't take it anymore.</em>
</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>Arata jolted awake. He cursed as he fell off the side of his bed in the process. He groaned and rubbed his head. He had hit it on the side of the bed frame. </p><p>"God damnit." He muttered.</p><p>Arata looked up at the clock drearily.</p><p>6:47 am</p><p>The morning announcement hadn't even gone off yet. He sighed as he looked down at his arm. He took off his dark blue blazer and scanned his arm. The puncture wound scar was still there. Of course it was. Why would it go away?</p><p>Arata clenched his fist and put his blazer back on. He got to his feet and grabbed his Monopad.</p><p>'<em>These memories are still haunting me. Why the hell won't they just leave me alone already.</em>'</p><p>Arata turned towards the mirror in his room. His eyes widened upon the realization that he was crying. Using his sleeve, he quickly wiped away his tears. He didn't have time for this.</p><p>"<strong>Good morning, everyone! It is now 7 a.m. and nighttime is officially over! Time to rise and shine! Get ready to greet another beee-yutiful day!</strong>"</p><p>Arata jumped at the sound of the morning announcement. He looked down at his Monopad then shoved it into his pocket. </p><p>'<em>Stop thinking about it.</em>'</p><p>He made his way to the door and opened it. He saw a few boys that were about to head off to the cafeteria. </p><p>Arata approached the group and was greeted in a friendly way. </p><p>"H-hello, Katsune-kun. I hope you slept w-well. We were just going t-to the cafeteria fo-for breakfast. Do you w-want to join us?" Riku stuttered.</p><p>Ren stood next to him, smiling. It seemed like those two were really close.</p><p>"Come on, Katsune-kun. Carpe diem." Ren said, offering his words of assurance.</p><p>Arata sighed.</p><p>"Let's just get going." He said.</p><p>He didn't mean to sound rude. He was just a bit thrown off by his dream. Somethings are better left forgotten. </p><p>Arata began to make his way to the door and opened it. He looked behind him to see if the two boys were still following him. They were.</p><p>'<em>It's strange how people from different understandings can become friends with people that are their complete opposites. Akinari-san seems nervous and tidy, while Kazuhiko-san seems calm and messy. Yet they get along like they were friends since they were kids.</em>' He thought.</p><p>Once the three entered the cafeteria, they all went their separate ways. Arata didn't have much of an appetite that morning, so he just sat at a table in the back of the room. </p><p>He looked up as someone sat down beside him. </p><p>"Hello, Katsune-san. Are you feeling alright? You look like you've seen a ghost." Koharu said.</p><p>"I'm fine. I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed.....literally....I fell out of my bed." Arata said.</p><p>Koharu covered her mouth to stifled a giggle.</p><p>"Well I hope you feel better. Anyways...do you sense something in the atmosphere?" </p><p>Arata paused after hearing the sudden question. He looked around the room. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. People were talking and eating with each other. That was about it.</p><p>"No. Why?" Arata said.</p><p>Koharu placed her hand under her chin with a worried look.</p><p>"I just feel like something is off. I can't tell if it's good or bad either. But I guess I'm just being overdramatic. People in a captive situation tend to think things are worse than they are, but in reality, everything is fine." Koharu explained.</p><p>Arata nodded, not quite understanding what the historian was talking about. He continued to stare down at the table. </p><p>"Arata-dono! Have you seen Hideshi-dono? He's usually here by now. I don't think I saw him exit his chambers either." Theo said from behind him.</p><p>Arata stood up and pushed in his chair.</p><p>"I'll go get him. He's probably just oversleeping." Arata said.</p><p>Theo nodded.</p><p>"I shall accompany you on your quest, young king. I shall fight by your side if need be-"</p><p>"Don't." He interrupted.</p><p>Arata began to make his way towards the door, followed by Theo. </p><p>They walked down the hallway and back to the boys dormitory.</p><p>Once there, Arata approached Hideshi's door and knocked on it gently.</p><p>Silence.</p><p>Arata knocked again. This time with a bit more force. </p><p>Silence.</p><p>Arata began to understand what Koharu was feeling. It felt like something was about to go horribly wrong. He looked over at Theo. The taller boy was staring back at him with a similar worried expression.</p><p>The Thespian approached the door and started pounding on it.</p><p>"Hideshi-dono! Awaken from your slumber or we will storm your castle!" Theo exclaimed.</p><p>Silence.</p><p>Arata felt his breath catch in his throat. Something wasn't right. His body was stiff as he reached for the doorknob. </p><p>And slowly....</p><p> </p><p>opened....</p><p> </p><p>the door....</p><p>.....</p><p>.......</p><p>...........</p><p>'<em>Why am I nervous? He's probably fine. Get ahold of yourself. You're the ultimate survivor. Act like it.</em>'</p><p>When Arata opened the door, he didn't have time to prepare for the horror that awaited him. </p><p> </p><p>.....</p><p> </p><p>.....</p><p> </p><p>Red.</p><p> </p><p>The whole room was red.</p><p>And in the center of that crimson wonderland, there lay Hideshi. The boy's eyes were closed and his body was splashed with red. </p><p>"Wha- Ahh- AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" Theo screamed as he saw the scene.</p><p>Arata was frozen in place, staring at the boy, who they didn't even know the talent of. He couldn't believe this. Was he seeing things?</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly....</p><p> </p><p>A yawn broke the tension in the air.</p><p>The boy that was covered in red slowly sat up and blinked open his eyes.</p><p>"Ughh....oh hey guys....what are yo-" Hideshi stopped.</p><p>The boy looked around the room, slowly growing more and more terrified and his face twisted in horror. Instead of screaming, Hideshi passed out.</p><p>Arata stared at the now unconscious boy. He looked over at Theo, who looked just as confused as Arata.</p><p>"What treachery....has befallen us....?" Theo mumbled.</p><p>"<strong>Upupupu~! Wowie! Look at this bloodshed! One of you had a great time playing this prank huh?</strong>"</p><p>Both of the boys turned around to see the black and white bear. Monokuma passed underneath them and into the room. </p><p>"What the hell did you do?"</p><p>Monokuma looked taken aback.</p><p>"<strong>Huuuuuhhhh?? Lil old me? I would never do such a thing!</strong>"</p><p>Theo marched towards the bear, but was stopped when Arata grabbed his wrist.</p><p>"One of the rules says that you can't damage the bear. I suggest you stay away." Arata said, letting go.</p><p>Theo looked hesitant before backing up.</p><p>"<strong>Don't worry! I'll have this room cleaned up in no time! Till then, you should probably watch this kid!</strong>"</p><p>After that, Monokuma disappeared. The two boys looked at each other than back at Hideshi.</p><p>"Aurora-san, can you carry Nakashima-san? We need to see if he's actually hurt or not." Arata said.</p><p>Theo nodded and hesitantly trotted into the room. He slung the bloody boy over his shoulder then got out of the room. Arata shut the door behind them.</p><p>He pulled out his Monopad and looked at the map. Apparently, there was an infirmary on the opposite side of the school.</p><p>"There's an infirmary. Follow me." Arata said, heading out of the boys dorm. Theo followed after him. </p><p>On their way to the infirmary, they ran into someone.</p><p>"Arata-kun! Theo-kun! Wha-" Yami trailed off as she saw the bloody Hideshi that Theo was carrying. Her eyes widened and she looked at Arata.</p><p>"Monokuma. He's only unconscious but we're taking him to the infirmary to see if he's hurt or not." Arata explained.</p><p>That seemed to calm Yami down a little. But she was still on edge. She took something out of her pocket. It looked like a pendant with a cross on it. She held it in between her clasped hands.</p><p>"A great deal of spirits follow this boy. I shall accompany you so none of them possess him while he is vulnerable." She explained.</p><p>Arata said nothing as he continued his ways towards the infirmary. </p><p>Once they arrived, Theo put Hideshi down on one of the beds. Yami stood next to the boy, chanting something incoherent and making strange motions with her hands. She then searched around and took a hand towel from a cabinet and brought it to a nearby sink. </p><p>She splashed hot water on it and returned to Hideshi's side. She cleaned the blood off of his face and neck. She scanned for any injuries. There were none. She handed the towel to Arata.</p><p>"I shall leave the rest to you. I will go inform the others of what had just occurred so that they are cautious of that bear." Yami said.</p><p>The exorcist left the room, leaving Arata and Theo. They both looked at the unconscious boy for a moment. </p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>Arata and Theo were able to confirm that Hideshi had no injuries. They also managed to clean the blood off of him as well. They left the boy in the infirmary so that he could rest.</p><p>He looked down at the clock on his Monopad.</p><p>10:45 am</p><p>Looks like he had some free time on his hands. He needed to clear his mind after what had just happened. </p><p>He wandered around the school, looking for something to do. Outside of the library, he ran into Sora.</p><p>"Oh! Hey Arata. What are you doing here?" Sora asked.</p><p>"Walking?" Arata said, as if it were a question.</p><p>"How about we hang out? I could use your help actually." Sora said.</p><p>He grumbled something under his breath.</p><p>"Fine." Arata said.</p><p>————————————————————</p><p>Arata watched as Sora worked in her sketchbook. Her hand moved quickly and barely stayed in one place for more than five seconds. </p><p>He had agreed, after some persuasion, to let her draw him in her sketchbook. All he had to do was just sit still and wait for her to be done. Simple enough. </p><p>"Done!" </p><p>'<em>What the hell? That was fast.</em>' </p><p>Arata got up and walked over to peer over Sora's shoulder. He widened his eyes as he saw it.</p><p>"How did you even....?" Arata trailed off.</p><p>Sora merely laughed awkwardly.</p><p>"Ah, thanks. But I messed up on the eyes and hair and I'm pretty sure your shoulders are slightly lopsided." She said, rambling about her mistakes.</p><p>"You shouldn't focus on all that small stuff. You made this really quickly so you shouldn't expect it to be perfect." Arata said.</p><p>Sora's face became slightly red and she turned away. She pulled her scarf over her face.</p><p>"I'm not good with compliments. But thank you." </p><p>Sora's voice was muffled by the scarf. Arata stared at her in confusion. Had he said something wrong? Who wouldn't be excited to receive a compliment? And he wasn't even complimenting her. He was just saying the truth.</p><p>"Anyways, at least you can use your talent to help people. I bet everyone will be happy to see how cool your drawings are." Arata said, sitting back down.</p><p>Sora looked down at her sketchbook with a longing expression. </p><p>"Y'know, I came to Japan because I was so interested in its culture. Everything about it seemed to be much better than America. Here it seemed like there was no segregation, homophobia, racism, or lots of crime." Sora said</p><p>Arata stared at the American. He himself, had never been out of Japan before. He didn't know what America was like, but, he didn't want to.</p><p>"Not everything is what it seems, Takara-san. Japan isn't as perfect as you make it out to be." Arata said.</p><p>Sora nodded and closed her sketchbook. She placed it on her lap.</p><p>"I miss my family....before I moved here, they pulled their money together to buy me this scarf. I wear it all the time." Sora said.</p><p>Arata felt his heart drop at the mention of a family. He lowered his eyes to the ground. </p><p>"I never....had a family...." Arata mumbled.</p><p>Sora widened her eyes and covered her mouth with her hand. She looked like she thought she had just commuted the worst crime.</p><p>"Oh my god! I'm so sorry! I had no idea. I didn't mean to make you sad. I promise!" She exclaimed. </p><p>Arata waved his hands dismissively.</p><p>"Don't be sorry. It's fine. I know you didn't mean to." He said.</p><p>Sora still looked distressed. She was clutching her sketchbook to her chest and staring at Arata with guilt. </p><p>"You worry a lot, don't you." Arata questioned.</p><p>Sora let out a loud sigh of relief.</p><p>"You have no idea." She said.</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>Arata exited the library. He was feeling a lot better than when he had woken up that morning. He took out his Monopad and checked the time.</p><p>3:00 pm.</p><p>'<em>I still have some free time. I guess I'll see who's around.</em>'</p><p>Arata put his Monopad in his pocket and headed down the hallway. </p><p>He stopped outside of the pool area. He could hear yelling from inside the room. He made his way to the door and opened it. He stopped as he spotted Kanon. </p><p>The DJ was running towards the pool, fully clothed and she jumped in. </p><p>"What are you doing?" Arata asked, approaching the edge of the pool. </p><p>Kanon surfaced and began laughing.</p><p>"Huh? What's up, Ara-kun?" </p><p>Arata was unaffected by the girls nickname.</p><p>"Isn't that the only set of clothing that you have? That bear thing didn't exactly provide us with extra clothes." Arata said.</p><p>Kanon faced up in the water, staring at the ceiling.</p><p>"Oh yeah! I know. But it doesn't matter. I saw a laundry room next to the trash room." She exclaimed. </p><p>“That doesn’t me-”</p><p>"Hey, Arata-chan! Guess what?" Kanon asked.</p><p>"Wha-" </p><p>Arata was cut off as his legs were yanked out from under him. He was pulling into the pool. When he resurfaced, he looked at Kanon with an annoyed expression.</p><p>"What the hell!?" He yelled.</p><p>"Waaaahoooo!!! That's right Arata-chan! Let your voice reach the heavens!" Kanon shouted. </p><p>"You act like such a child." Arata grumbled.</p><p>Kanon looked at him, tilting her head to the side.</p><p>"But I am a child. You are too. Everybody in the school is a child, Arata-chan. Never forget that. You aren't an adult yet, so cherish every moment you have as a child so you can remember it when you grow up!" Kanon said.</p><p>After she spoke, she dived under the surface of the water. She emerged by the side of the pool and pulled herself out of the water. </p><p>Arata also pulled himself out of the water. He grumbled as he removed his blazer. He wrung the water out of it and held it for the time being. He removed his tie as well and held it too.</p><p>"Let's go to the laundry room. We have to wash and dry our clothes. Grab a robe so you don't have to be completely naked." Arata said. </p><p>He grabbed a robe and watched as Kanon did the same. She followed after him and began humming an offbeat tune that Arata didn't know. </p><p>When they got there, they changed into their robes and put their clothes in the washer. Arata sighed as he waited for the cycle to be over. </p><p>"Are you mad at me?" Kanon asked.</p><p>"No. I'm just never happy." Arata said.</p><p>Well, he wasn’t exactly lying.</p><p>"You're funny! I had a great time hanging out with you!" Kanon exclaimed. </p><p>She gave Arata a bone crushing hug, making him wheeze.</p><p>"Can't...breathe..." </p><p>"Huh? Oh! Sorry about that! I just get really excited!" Kanon said, letting go of Arata. </p><p>Arata nodded and leaned against the wall. </p><p>—————————————————————</p><p>Soon, their clothes had been through the washer and dryer. Kanon gathered up her clothes and waved goodbye to Arata before heading off to her own room. </p><p>Arata waved goodbye as well. He changed back into his clothes.</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>Arata made his way to the cafeteria for dinner. It was currently 7:15 pm.</p><p>'<em>Looks like I lost track of time.</em>'</p><p>He entered the cafeteria. He was surprised to see that he wasn't the one who was late. </p><p>He got some food from the back and sat at an empty table. He was just utterly exhausted. It had been a long day. </p><p>"Hey Arata-san! I wanted to say thank you for taking me to the infirmary. I actually thought I died!" Hideshi exclaimed.</p><p>The mystery boy plopped down in the chair next to Arata.</p><p>"It wasn't just me. Aurora-san actually carried you. I just led him to the infirmary." Arata mumbled.</p><p>He continued to eat his food.</p><p>"Well, still. I'm just glad I'm not dead. I wanna know who played that prank, and where did they get the blood?!?!" Hideshi said, gradually getting louder.</p><p>"There were blood bags in the infirmary. I'm guessing they got it from there." Arata said.</p><p>Hideshi chuckled and scratched under his headband.</p><p>"Geez Arata-san. If you keep answering like that then I'm gonna think you did it." The boy joked.</p><p>Arata mentally groaned. He finished his food and stood up.</p><p>"Goodbye." Arata said. </p><p>The survivor brought his plate to the kitchen and put it in the sink. He then went back out into the cafeteria. </p><p>He felt like he was gonna pass out. He made his way past all the students and back to his dorm room. </p><p>Once he was there, he took his shoes and blazer off and collapsed on the bed. He face planted on the pillow. He turned over and stared at the ceiling. </p><p>"Goodnight." He said, to no one in particular. He closed his eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you want to see the story in more detail, go read it on my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Press Start</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"<strong>Good morning, everyone! It is now 7 a.m. and nighttime is officially over! Time to rise and shine! Get ready to greet another beee-yutiful day!</strong>"</p><p>Arata blinked open his eyes. He slowly adjusted to the light in the room. He sat up and looked around. He paused.</p><p>Something caught his eye. It sat on his desk. It looked like a better version of the Monopad, but he already had his. </p><p>Arata got out of the bed and grabbed the device that sat on his desk. It showed a video symbol. He hesitated before clicking it. A video began to play.</p><p>"<strong>Kichino Shinobu, the Ultimate Luckster! He has a very well known family name and is set to inherit his family's business!</strong>"</p><p>Arata froze. That was...Monokuma's voice. But why..? Suddenly, two middle aged people showed up on the screen. They looked like they were related to Kichino.</p><p>"<strong>Don't disappoint me, Kichino.</strong>"</p><p>Arata watch the man speak. Was this Kichino's father? He sounded like a complete prick.</p><p>"<strong>Remember to study, Kichi! And remember that we love you very much!....is the interview over? This couch is really disgusting.</strong>"</p><p>Arata continued to look at the video. Suddenly, the screen turned black. </p><p>"<strong>Unfortunately, the parents of Kichino Shinobu got into a terrible accident after this interview!</strong>"</p><p>An image took over the screen. It was the two adults but...they were hanging by their necks. Their heads were out of the shot of the camera. Their bodies were full of bullet holes.</p><p>"<strong>Want to know what happened to them? Don't believe me? Well then find out the truth after you graduate! Upupupu~</strong>"</p><p>The screen turned black and a repeat symbol was visible on the screen. </p><p>"<strong>Upupu~! Everyone please gather in the gymnasium for a special announcement!</strong>"</p><p>Arata clenched his teeth as he heard the high pitched voice of the black and white bear.</p><p>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</p><p>Monokuma stared at the sixteen kids that were gathered at the bottom of the stage. They either looked confused, angry, or horrified. </p><p>This only fueled his despair meter.</p><p>"<strong>Now. I'm sure you are all wondering why I brought you here. I have just presented you with your first motive! They are the Motive videos. They show something that's very precious to you, or someone you care about dearly. I mixed them up so that everyone has a random students motive video. I'll leave the rest to your imagination! Upupupu~!</strong>" </p><p>"Wait! How do we even know if those videos are true?!" Atsu yelled.</p><p>Monokuma merely shrugged.</p><p>"<strong>I don't control whether you believe them or not, but I assure you, those videos are not lying.</strong>"</p><p>The wave of despair that swept through the room was immediate.</p><p>"Whoever holds my video, relinquish it to me at once!" Kichino demanded.</p><p>Almost all the students looked at Kichino. One person froze as the demand was made.</p><p>"Absolutely not! These videos are made as motives to murder! We shall not hand them out to their owners! I advise everyone to keep the video that they have with them and not hand it back to the owner. We will not bow down to the demands of a demon!" Yami exclaimed.</p><p>The exorcist slowly approached the stage, mumbling something under her breath. </p><p>Monokuma began to grow nervous.</p><p>"<strong>Welp! Gotta go! Have a dreary killing school life!</strong>"</p><p>After that, he disappeared behind the podium, leaving the kids in distress. </p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>Arata looked down at the Motive video in his hands. He had made his way back to his room. He walked over to his dresser and threw the video into the bottom drawer. </p><p>'<em>How could they do that to his parents? Sure...Shinobu-san isn't  the best person, but what did his parents do to deserve that?</em>'</p><p>Just thinking about it made his teeth clench. He had to stop. There was no way they could kill two well known business people that easily....right?</p><p>Arata was interrupted by a knock at his door. He turned towards his door and opened it slowly.</p><p>"Arata-kun. I wish to hold a discussion with you." Yami said.</p><p>Without waiting for him to answer, Yami pushed past Arata and entered his room. He sighed and closed the door.</p><p>"What do you want?" Arata asked.</p><p>"Tell me the name in which your motive video belongs to." Yami said.</p><p>"Kichino Shinobu." </p><p>"I see. You must remember to not give that video to him. No matter what you saw on it. If it gets into his hands, who knows what will happen." Yami said.</p><p>Arata nodded. </p><p>"I'm aware. I'll  be sure to keep it away from him. Who's motive video did you receive?" Arata asked.</p><p>"Atsu Kenshin's. It was...beyond disturbing and filled with such demonic energy that I nearly fell unconscious." Yami said. </p><p>Arata nodded. He didn't know what was in the Ultimate Swindlers video, but he was certain that it was as disturbing as Kichino's, if not more.</p><p>"We have not had breakfast yet. It is 10:3o am. Let us head to the cafeteria." Yami said, leaving the room.</p><p>Arata followed after the exorcist. He had forgotten about eating so he was starving. </p><p>Once they arrived, they began to eat together. </p><p>"I am glad that I have you to lead by my side Arata-kun. Thanks to your talent, everyone seems to have mutual respect for you." Yami said.</p><p>"You kinda dragged me into the whole leading thing, but thanks anyways." Arata said.</p><p>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</p><p>"<strong>Upupupu~....looks like someone hasn't left their room in awhile. Are you perhaps planning the demise of one of your classmates?</strong>"</p><p>"No...what did you do with my family? They can't be dead! What did you do to them?!?"</p><p>"<strong>Whoa there! Hold your horses. What does it look like happened to them? It's not like they grew wings and flew away.</strong>"</p><p>"I don't believe you! There's no way I could....believe you...." </p><p>"<strong>Do what you want. One way or another, despair will always win. Upupupu~</strong>"</p><p>"Shut up. You don't know a thing about despair....get out...."</p><p>"<strong>Oooohh!~ So forceful.</strong>"</p><p>Then Monokuma left the students room.</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>Arata exited the cafeteria. He checked his Monopad for the time.</p><p>11:22 am.</p><p>'<em>Looks like I got some free time on my hands.</em>'</p><p>Arata felt a strange feeling in his chest. He looked from side to side. He had walked through this doorway many times but he was getting such a strong feeling of Déjà vu. </p><p>'<em>Why do I feel like I've been here before in the past? I'm I just overthinking things?</em>'</p><p>Arata was snapped out of his thoughts as he spotted someone approaching him slowly. </p><p>"Arata-kun! We've been looking for someone to talk to!" </p><p>Arata raised an eyebrow at the puppet. </p><p>"Arata-kun, you have a rip in your jacket." The puppet said.</p><p>Arata looked down at his blazer. He noticed that there was a hole under the arm of the clothing article. He was suddenly yanked forwards.</p><p>"Come with us, Arata-kun! We have a sewing kit in our room! Haru-chan is amazing with it!" The puppet said.</p><p>"Uh, sure I guess." Arata said.</p><p>————————————————————</p><p>"Alright Arata-kun! Give Haru-chan your jacket and she'll fix it up!" The puppet said.</p><p>They were in the ventriloquist's room. Arata nodded and removed his blazer. He handed it to Haru.</p><p>He was surprised when the girl removed the puppet from her hand in order to begin stitching up his blazer.</p><p>He watched as the ventriloquist worked quickly with the stitching. He was impressed by how efficient she was.</p><p>A silence filled the room. Neither of them had a reason to speak. The silence wasn't awkward or uncomfortable. In fact, it was quite welcome. </p><p>It was a comforting silence. The only sound was Haru moving. </p><p>"Do you make all of your puppets and stuff?" Arata asked.</p><p>Haru stiffened and halted her work. A few seconds of silence passed before she continued working. She didn't answer Arata's question.</p><p>'<em>Oh yeah, she doesn't talk to people without her puppet.</em>'</p><p>After some more time passed, Haru finished stitching up Arata's blazer. She handed it back to him, which he accepted gratefully.</p><p>He put it back on and moved his arms. It felt good as new.</p><p>"Thank you." Arata said.</p><p>Haru put her puppet back on her hand.</p><p>"It was no trouble, Arata-kun!" The puppet said.</p><p>Once again, it was terrifying how realistic it's emotions were.</p><p>"How are you handling the situation?" Arata asked.</p><p>"I don't know what to think of the situation. I'm sure Haru-chan doesn't want to think about it. This is all just...messed up!" The puppet exclaimed.</p><p>Arata looked at Haru, searching for any kind of emotion on the girls face. Of course, there was nothing. He sighed.</p><p>"Yeah..." He agreed.</p><p>Haru said nothing. Neither did the puppet.</p><p>Arata thought he had said something wrong. </p><p>"I should probably go now. Thanks again for fixing my blazer. Bye Makayu-san." Arata said. </p><p>As he left the room, before he closed the door, he could have sworn he heard a voice that didn't sound like the puppet. It sounded like Haru. </p><p>"..bye..."</p><p>—————————————————————</p><p>Arata wandered into the library. He was wandering the hallways for the past half an hour. </p><p>It was currently 2:46 pm. </p><p>He sighed and scanned the shelves in the library. He was looking through the mystery section when something caught his eye. It was...a button...?</p><p>Arata stared at the silver button in curiosity. He reached out and pushed it. He took a few steps back as the sound of mechanical whirring could be heard on the other side of the wall. </p><p>He narrowed his eyes and waited. Then, the bookshelf opened like a door, along with the wall behind it, leading to another very very dark room. </p><p>Arata stared at the secret passage in shock. He took out his Monopad and pressed the flashlight button on it. He shined it into the room. Against his better judgement, he entered the dark area.</p><p>He jumped as the wall closed behind him, plunging him in total darkness. He still had the flashlight on his Monopad, but the room was bigger than he had anticipated. </p><p>He noticed that there were cobwebs everywhere. He almost choked on the amount of dust that he had kicked up. </p><p>'<em>When was the last time this place was used? It's just an empty room.</em>'</p><p>He shined his light directly in front of him. He narrowed his eyes as he spotted a metal door in front of him. There was no doorknob.</p><p>Arata looked to the left and spotted five empty pedestals. They all led up to the metal door. He looked to his right and saw another five pedestals.</p><p>'<em>What the hell is this room?</em>'</p><p>Arata ran his hand over one of the empty pedestals. He ended up wiping off a ton of dust. He shook it off of his hand. </p><p>He shined his light on he wall and noticed dark lines that traveled from the pedestals to the metal door. </p><p>Arata was beyond confused. What was all of this for? He jumped at the sound of the wall moving again. He turned off the flashlight on his Monopad and ran through the passageway. </p><p>Once he was back in the library, the wall closed behind him and it was like nothing had every happened. He couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching him. </p><p>In fact, someone was watching him. No one could miss the huge cameras that were scattered in every single part of the school. </p><p>Arata turned towards the camera that was nearest to him. He could see the camera turn to look directly at him. He narrowed his eyes.</p><p>"How long are you just going to stand there?"</p><p>Arata jumped at the sound of another voice. He turned to see Sara.</p><p>"Sorry. Guess I was lost in thought." Arata mumbled. </p><p>"It's fine. I never asked you to apologize."</p><p>Although she spoke intensely, her words held no annoyance. In fact, she sounded....sad?</p><p>Arata made his way around the Markswoman and out of the library.</p><p>—————————————————————</p><p>5:47 pm.</p><p>'<em>I still have some time.</em>'</p><p>Arata was making his way around the school again, looking to talk to someone. He was looking down at his Monopad. </p><p>He looked up and spotted something that made his heart stop. He saw someone lying on the ground. </p><p>It was a girl. He approached the girl and figured out that it was Yuu. The fact that the girl was passed out on the ground didn't concern him as much as the thin line of blood that dribbled from the side of her mouth.</p><p>Arata widened his eyes and gently shook the girl body. Nothing. He could see that she was still breathing. He grabbed the girls arms and hauled her onto his back. He wasn't exactly the strongest person so it took him a while to get to the infirmary. </p><p>Once there, Arata laid the girl down on the bed. He didn't know what was wrong with her, so he didn't know how to react. He listened closely. Her breathing seemed a bit ragged.</p><p>'<em>Can she not breathe? I saw an air mask somewhere around here.</em>'</p><p>Arata quickly looked around and found the mask in no time. He found an oxygen tank in one of the lower cabinets and connected it to the mask. He placed the mask over Yuu's mouth and made sure the oxygen was flowing.</p><p>Then, he waited. </p><p>An hour or two passed. He was certain that he had missed dinner. But he honestly didn't care. </p><p>He watched as the girl slowly came to. He removed the mask and stared at the Ultimate Daydreamer.</p><p>"Hey. Can you hear me? Do you feel any pain?" Arata asked.</p><p>Yuu stared at Arata for a moment before answering the question.</p><p>"I'm...fine...." she muttered.</p><p>Yuu took her sleeve and wiped the dried blood away from the corner of her mouth. </p><p>"I found you passed out in the hallway. What happened?" </p><p>"No....it's...fine...I'm just....sick..." Yuu said.</p><p>Arata raised an eyebrow.</p><p>'<em>Sick, Huh.</em>'</p><p>"How do you know?" He asked.</p><p>Yuu laid her head back down on the pillow. Her eyes looked like they were going to close again. She appeared to be struggling to stay awake.</p><p>"I've...always been...sick...but...it'll go away...one day...but...then I will...too..." Yuu mumbled.</p><p>Arata froze. It'll go away, but she will too? Does that mean she'll die because of this sickness one day?</p><p>"What sickness is it?" Arata asked.</p><p>His question was in vain as the girl fell asleep. He sighed and put back the air mask and oxygen tank. He stared at the girl with a sad look before heading off to the cafeteria. </p><p>-</p><p>8:55 pm.</p><p>When he entered the cafeteria, there was no one there. He could see the leftover food at the back. He got himself some food and then got another plate and put food on that as well. He went back to the kitchen and got some plastic wrap. He covered one of the food plates so that it would stay warm.</p><p>He went back out to the cafeteria and ate his fill. Once he was done. He took the wrapped plate of food and made his way back to the infirmary. He looked at the clock.</p><p>9:32 pm.</p><p>Arata sighed once more as he saw the sleeping girl. He picked her up, bridal style and rested the plate of food on her stomach. </p><p>He began to carry the girl back to her room. When he entered the girls dormitory building, he was spotted by Koharu.</p><p>"Oh! What are you doing here Katsune-san? Is that Yuu-san? Did she fall asleep in the hallway again?" She asked.</p><p>Arata decided that it was easier to just nod than answer the question.</p><p>"Where is her room?" He asked.</p><p>Koharu pointed at one of the doors. Arata made his way over to it, opening the door. He placed Yuu down on her bed and set the plate of food on her desk. He pulled the covers of the bed over the daydreamer. </p><p>As he left, he closed the door behind him and began to make his way back to his own dorm. </p><p>He didn't stay long enough to see Koharu smile as the boy left. She turned and made her way to her own room.</p><p>"Such a sweet boy." She mumbled, closing the door.</p><p>—————————————————————</p><p>"<strong>Mm, ahem, this is a school announcement. It is now 10 p.m. As such, it is officially nighttime. Soon the doors to the cafeteria will be locked. Okay then...sweet dreams, everyone! Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite...</strong>"</p><p>Arata had barely made it back to his dorm when the nighttime announcement sounded. When he got in his room, he placed his Monopad on his desk. He took off his blazer and shoes and laid down on the bed. </p><p>The survivor closed his eyes. He didn't have much trouble falling asleep.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you want to see the full fledged out story, without the awful descriptions and stuff, go read it on my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Mistakes Can’t Be Erased Forever</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"<strong>Good morning, everyone! It is now 7 a.m. and nighttime is officially over! Time to rise and shine! Get ready to greet another beee-yutiful day!</strong>"</p><p>Arata was about ready to rip the speaker right out of the wall and launch it across the room. He was still exhausted from the previous night. Carrying an entire person wasn't exactly easy. </p><p>He slid out of the bed and slipped his shoes on. He shrugged on his blazer and grabbed his Monopad off of the desk. He yawned and made his way to the door. </p><p>Arata was greeted by a not so welcome change in light, which made him growl in annoyance.</p><p>"Geez Arata-san. You're such a vampire! Hehehe~!" Hideshi said. </p><p>Great. Just what he needed. Arata merely shrugged him off and began to make his way out of boys dormitory and head to the cafeteria. He mentally sighed as the boy continued to pester him.</p><p>"Don't you have to be annoying somewhere else?" Arata asked.</p><p>"Not until twelve." Hideshi said, sticking out his tongue.</p><p>Arata snorted at the joke. Even he had to admit that it was a little funny. He looked over and noticed that Hideshi had a look of triumph in his eyes. He appeared to be happy that he could make Arata laugh.</p><p>Once they arrived at the cafeteria, they grabbed their food and sat down together. They continued to chat as the rest of the students filled the room. </p><p>Arata looked around. </p><p>'<em>Where's Takara-san? She's not usually late.</em>'</p><p>"Do you know where Takara-san is?" Arata asked.</p><p>"My guess is that she's back in her room. She looks like the kind of person that would oversleep." Hideshi responded.</p><p>Arata sighed and got to his feet.</p><p>"I'll get her then." He said.</p><p>Hideshi practically jumped out of his seat, causing him to trip over the leg of his chair and tumble backwards. But, in an instant, he was back on his feet.</p><p>"Oh! I wanna come too!" Hideshi said.</p><p>Arata nodded. The two began to make their way to the cafeteria door.</p><p>Once again, they were stopped.</p><p>"Where are you guys going?" Koharu asked.</p><p>"We're going to get Sora-san. We think she overslept." Hideshi said.</p><p>"Oh. Can I come with you? I didn't get to talk to her yesterday so it would be nice to see her." The historian said.</p><p>"Do what you want." Arata said.</p><p>The survivor continued out of the cafeteria and began to head towards the girls dormitory. </p><p>"Hey Arata-san! Do you think someone killed her?" Hideshi asked.</p><p>"No. Stop talking." </p><p>"G-Geez! I was just joking." Hideshi exclaimed.</p><p>"You know, Nakashima-san, you talk so confidently but once you're confronted, you act like a total coward." Koharu observed.</p><p>Hideshi hissed and crossed his arms.</p><p>"Stop ganging up on me! My heart can't take this!" Hideshi said.</p><p>Once they were done teasing Hideshi, they entered the girls dormitory. Koharu was the first to approach Sora's door. She knocked on it gently.</p><p>"Takara-san? Are you awake?" She called.</p><p>No answer.</p><p>Next, Arata pushed past Koharu and started to pound on the door.</p><p>"Takara-san. It's Arata. Are you in there?" </p><p>No answer. </p><p>"Why isn't she answering? Do you think she's really out of it?" Hideshi asked.</p><p>Arata ignored the boy. He reached for the door and gave it a turn. The doorknob squeaked in protest as it was turned.</p><p>He slowly opened the door</p><p> </p><p>...</p><p> </p><p>....</p><p> </p><p>.....</p><p> </p><p>......</p><p> </p><p>........</p><p> </p><p>Red.</p><p> </p><p>......</p><p> </p><p>.......</p><p> </p><p>.......</p><p> </p><p>Arata could hear a thump behind him as Hideshi lost consciousness and hit the ground.</p><p>'<em>Is this....a joke....what am I...looking at...</em>'</p><p>Arata didn't want to face the truth. But his eyes could only see the truth. </p><p>And the truth.</p><p>Was that Sora Takara, The Ultimate Illustrator, lay dead in front of them.</p><p>
  <strong>*Ding Dong Ding*</strong>
</p><p>"<strong>A body has been discovered! Everyone please assemble in the girls dormitory. All rooms will be unlocked for investigation purposes. After a certain amount of time, a class trial will be held. Now, investigate!</strong>"</p><p>Arata stared at the body of the Ultimate Illustrator. She was laying on her bed, with a knife in her hand. There was a stab wound in the center of her stomach, and the rest of the bed was stained red. </p><p>"Oh god....Takara-san..." </p><p>He could hear the muffled sobs from behind him coming from Koharu.</p><p>It wasn't long before everyone had gathered in the girls dormitory. They all shared their looks of shock and horror. </p><p>"<strong>Wowie! Look at all this bloodshed! Someone must have gone insane! Looks like the killing game has just begun!</strong>"</p><p>Everyone stared at the mechanical bear in disgust and anger. </p><p>"You said this is our investigation time right? Then let's start investigating. We don't have all day." Kotori said, entering the room.</p><p>Kichino shoved his way past the others and made his way into the girls room as well.</p><p>"What your problem?" Arata hissed.</p><p>Kichino didn't even face him. </p><p>"One of you have stooped low enough to murder someone. If we do not get as many clues as possible, we will all be killed. So if you value your life, I suggest you investigate as well." The Luckster said.</p><p>Arata stared down at his feet. He took a deep breath. Then entered the room.</p><p>"Can one of you watch over Nakashima-san? He's unconscious again." Arata called back to the group of students. </p><p>He then made his way towards Sora's body. He notice that her eyes were bloodshot and a look of despair couldn't be more evident.</p><p>He sighed. He had to do this. It was for his own survival. It's always been for his own survival.</p><p>"Everyone. We could use your help as well. Go search the other rooms and see if you can find anything suspicious." Kotori said.</p><p>A bunch of students nodded and continued forwards. The rest lingered for a few moments before setting off.</p><p>Arata continued looking around the room. He stared at the scarf that was around Sora's neck. It was stained with blood. He narrowed his eyes and grabbed the scarf off of her body. </p><p>He examined it with mild interest.</p><p>'<em>This thing is absolutely soaked in blood, but the wound is on her abdomen.</em>'</p><p>"<strong>If your having trouble with the investigation, don't forget to check your trusty Monopad and look at the Monokuma File. It'll tell y'all the little details about the murder!</strong>"</p><p>Once Arata heard the speaker, he pulled out his Monopad and looked for the Monokuma File. He read it to himself.</p><p>Victim: Sora Takara</p><p>Estimated Time of Death: 11:30pm</p><p>Cause of Death: Stab wound directly in the stomach/Blood loss</p><p>Body was Found: In Sora Takara's bedroom</p><p>Other Things To Note: Blood bath</p><p>Arata stared at the information. It didn't do a whole lot but it was a start. He put the Monopad in his pocket and continued looking around. </p><p>He didn't know why, but he kept the girls scarf in his hands. He wrapped it around his wrist. He had such a strange feeling that he would need it later. He examined the girls body.</p><p>Using Kotori's help, he flipped the girl over. The bed beneath her was bloody as well. That's to be expected when a body has been bleeding out in one spot for a long period of time. He touched the sheets and pulled his hand back. It felt like the bed was soaked, even though there wasn't that much blood on the part that he touched.</p><p>He examined the back of Sora's body and discovered something unusual. </p><p>'<em>The cause of death was a single stab wound to the stomach, but the wound looks like it went straight through her body and out the other side.</em>'</p><p>"Did you notice it too? She must have been stabbed with a lot of force in order for the weapon to have gone straight through her." Kotori said.</p><p>Arata nodded. It was definitely something to remember for later. </p><p>"H-hey Katsune-kun. M-Me and Kazuhiko-kun f-found something that we-we think you should l-look at." Riku stuttered.</p><p>Arata looked over at the boy that was now standing in the doorway. He nodded and followed the assistant. </p><p>It ended with them arriving at the laundry room. Arata saw that Ren was standing near a mop and a bucket. They approached the botanist and Riku started to speak.</p><p>"L-look." Riku said, pointing to the floor. Arata followed the boys finger to a circle of red that was around the base of the bucket. He leaned down and picked up the bucket. </p><p>There was a half of a blood circle still on the ground. Arata leaned down and took up the mop. He noticed that it was stained a very very faint red color.</p><p>"Looks like the blackened tried to cover up their crime using this." Arata said.</p><p>"You guys keep searching around here. I'm gonna go back to the body." Arata said.</p><p>The two boys nodded and Arata left the room. A few moments later, he entered Sora's room once more. He looked around again.</p><p>Arata watched Kotori, who looked like she knew exactly what she was doing.</p><p>'<em>That makes sense. She's the Ultimate Investigator after all.</em>'</p><p>At least he could rely on one person to speak the truth during the trial. Hopefully anyways.</p><p>Just then, the monitor in the room flickered on.</p><p>"<strong>Alright you bastards! Investigation time is over! Please head to the gymnasium so that I may I direct you to the trial grounds.</strong>"</p><p>'<em>That wasn't much time.</em>'</p><p>After the announcement was made, Arata, Kotori and Kichino exited the room. They made their way towards the gymnasium.</p><p>When they arrived, Arata saw that there was a door that looked like it belonged to an elevator. He waited for the rest of the students to arrive and the door opened.</p><p>Sure enough, it was a huge elevator.</p><p>"Everyone please step inside the elevator and then we'll descend to the trial grounds!" </p><p>Arata was the first to step into the elevator. He felt a wave of determination surge through his body. The rest of the students entered after him and they began their decent.</p><p>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</p><p>The remaining students looked around the elevator as the door slammed shut. There was no turning back now. They couldn't run away from what happened.</p><p>A few of them jumped at the sound of the elevator descending. A few of them eyed each other in suspicion. They knew that one of their own classmates had killed Sora. </p><p>Someone standing in the elevator with them.</p><p>They jumped as the elevator eventually came to a stop.</p><p>They filed out into the trial room. They all looked around in confusion.</p><p>"<strong>Alrighty then, everyone look for your podium! It has your name printed on it!</strong>"</p><p>Everyone looked at the bear, who was sitting on his own throne. They each went to their designated podiums. </p><p>—————————————————————</p><p>Arata stood at his podium, looking around at the students. </p><p>'<em>Sora Takara, The Ultimate Illustrator. She wasn't a bad person at all, and it was hard to hold a grudge against her. She gets scared quite easily. She doesn't normally have a hard time making friends. And one of our classmates had murdered her brutally.</em></p><p>
  <em>I will find the person who did this. I will bring Takara-san's killer into the light. I won't let her die in vain. I'll keep living.</em>
</p><p><em>I promise, Takara-san. I'll make sure we find this person. For your sake.</em>'</p><p>"<strong>Alright, lets begin with an explanation of the class trial. You all will debate amongst yourselves, using evidence collected during the investigation phase, to determine the culprit. The trial ends when the culprit - known as the "Blackened" - is uncovered, and ultimately executed. Now! Begin!</strong>"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you want to read the full pictured and not badly summarized story, go to my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Trial Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Okay this chapter is supposed to have a bunch of picture and game-like effects but I’m sure that won’t work on this website. So if you want to see the full version of this chapter, go read it on my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Everyone was staring at one another in suspicion. No one could trust anyone at a time like this.</p><p>"T-this is crazy! Wh-Why do you w-want us to blame e-each other? We're all f-friends! We cou-could never d-do that!" Riku sputtered.</p><p>A heartless laugh caught the attention of everyone in the trial room. They turned toward the student.</p><p>"We are not friends. We are only hostages. That is the only thing we have in common with each other. We will not make it through this trial if you continue to spout nonsense. My life is at stake. So I demand that you toss aside your petty friendships and let us begin this trial!" Kichino commanded.</p><p>"As much as I hate to admit this guy is right, he is. If we can't point the finger at anyone, then we won't be able to find the culprit." Kotori said.</p><p>"Agreed." Arata said.</p><p>"If I may, I'd like to offer the first topic. The Monokuma Files state that the time of death was around 11:30 pm. I think we should all provide our alibis for 11:00 to 11:30 pm. For me, I was in my room, I had just said goodbye to Katsune-san about an hour prior, who had just brought Yuu-san back to her room." Koharu said.</p><p>Arata nodded.</p><p>"Yeah. After I dropped off Yuu-san, I went right back to my room, then I fell asleep." Arata said. </p><p>"Me and Riku-kun were sleeping in his dorm. He said he couldn't sleep so I offered to stay till he was better then I ended up falling asleep as well." Ren said.</p><p>Riku's face turned red as he pushed his glasses back into place.</p><p>"Y-Yes that is wh-what happened." The assistant confirmed.</p><p>"I was on the stage in the gymnasium. I was perfecting my art of meditation that was taught to me by my mentor!" Theo exclaimed.</p><p>"Haru-chan was in her room! She was sleeping!" The puppet explained.</p><p>Of course, everyone was hesitant to believe the words that were coming from an inanimate object.</p><p>"I was in my room as well! I stubbed my toe on the desk so I was sitting on the ground for a solid hour! So I think I fell asleep there because I woke up on the floor!" Kanon said, way too happily.</p><p>Normally, something like that would be hard to believe, but since it was coming from Kanon, they had no choice but to believe it.</p><p>"I think I was asleep in my own room." Atsu said.</p><p>"I was doing my nightly patrol." Yami said.</p><p>"I was asleep as well." Sara said.</p><p>"I was dwelling in the library, looking for clues that could correlate with my escape." Kichino said.</p><p>"I was...asleep...probably..." Yuu said, yawning.</p><p>Arata stared at the daydreamer. He could tell that she was on the verge of passing out.</p><p>"I was asleep in my room as well!" Hideshi said.</p><p>"I think I was I the infirmary...I had been experimenting with something and ended up cutting my arm." Yukio explained.</p><p>Everyone stared at the Mad Scientist with an uneasy look but no one pressed further.</p><p>"I was sleeping in my room as well." Kotori said.</p><p>"I think that was everyone. It was late when the murder occurred so not many people were awake I'm guessing." Arata said. </p><p>'<em>I need to find a hole in one of their alibis. One of them must be wrong. It had to be one of us right...wait.</em>'</p><p>"So the only people that weren't in their rooms at the time of murder were Aurora-san, Shinobu-san, Samuru-san, and Zenaku-san." Kotori said.</p><p>"I ran into Zenaku-san in the hallway on my way to the infirmary. She helped me with my wound." Yukio spoke up.</p><p>"Indeed, I can confirm this interaction." Yami declared.</p><p>"So that clears those two. But what about Theo-kun and Kichino-kun?" The puppet asked.</p><p>"Shinobu-san, how do we know that you were actually in the library?" Sara asked.</p><p>"I can confirm that he was in the library. During my nightly rounds, I stopped by the library and chatted with him!" Yami said.</p><p>"Yes. That is what happened." Kichino said, bitterly.</p><p>"Alright now, Au-"</p><p>"Wait! Could it be possible that the killer was with Takara-san the whole time?!" Koharu said, interrupting Kotori.</p><p>Everyone stared at the historian, slightly put off by her sudden declaration.</p><p>Arata knew what Koharu was getting at. Kotori seemed to be thinking about something.</p><p>"Maybe the killer was closer than we thought. Katsune-san, Do you know what we're talking about?" Kotori asked, looking expectantly at the survivor.</p><p>Arata froze. Why was she asking him? He was disturbed by the sheer determination in her eyes.</p><p>'<em>I guess I have no choice anymore.</em>'</p><p>"<strong>I got it!</strong>"</p><p>"Are you guys referring to Takara-san herself?" Arata asked.</p><p>The entire room went silent. Everyone stared at each other in disbelief.</p><p>"Geez. You say that like it's a revaluation." Hideshi mumbled, seemingly having already known that.</p><p>"That is not likely. What reason would she have had to kill herself? She did not even see her motive video." Kichino said simply.</p><p>"What if she did though?" Koharu said.</p><p>Kichino raised an eyebrow. </p><p>"I didn't tell anyone, but I received my own motive video. That means someone else should have received their own as well." Koharu said.</p><p>Everyone blinked simultaneously. Arata resisted the urge to face palm.</p><p>"That only makes us think that you're the killer. After all, if you had your own motive video, you would've had a reason to commit murder by watching it." Arata said.</p><p>All eyes turned towards Koharu, who looked utterly betrayed.</p><p>"Wh-what?! You don't really think I did this, do you?" Koharu asked.</p><p>Everyone stared at Koharu with looks of accusation. At this point, they would believe it was anyone.</p><p>"It does m-make sense act-actually." Riku said, his voice laced with guilt.</p><p>"You did seem to be the closest to Takara-san, so committing the crime would have been easier...Hmm...why must trust be used and forgotten so easily..." Yukio pondered.</p><p>"Wait! I didn't kill her! In fact, there was nothing on my motive video! It just showed static!" Koharu exclaimed.</p><p>"Do you have proof of that? If you don't, than you're going to be the prime suspect." Kotori said.</p><p>"M-Monokuma! Tell them, Monokuma!! T-tell then what you told me! About you breaking it!" Koharu said frantically.</p><p>The historian turned towards the bear with a pleading expression, and he couldn't look more uninterested. For a moment, he seems like he wasn't going to answer.</p><p>"<strong>As much as I hate to interrupt, I unfortunately did end up breaking Koharu's motive video. Things happen when you gotta lotta claws!</strong>"</p><p>"Then that settles that...I guess. We can come back to this later. Looks like Akifumi-san isn't the killer, for now." Arata said, reluctantly.</p><p>Koharu visibly relaxed. She hugged her arms to her sides.</p><p>"I wanna go home..." she mumbled.</p><p>"We should probably focus on the fact that she probably commit suicide! It's like Koharu-san said!" Haru's puppet exclaimed.</p><p>"It does make sense if she killed herself. If she had her motive video, it could have been too much for her and she ended it right then and there." Yukio suggested.</p><p>"What could've...been on it....that was....so....bad....?" Yuu asked slowly. </p><p>No one answered. </p><p>"By the stars! I can see the truth! She must have killed herself! The evidence speaks for itself!" Theo said dramatically.</p><p>"It does seem to make sense if she did." Sara muttered</p><p>"I don't believe that she would take her life like that. Even if she saw the video. If it showed that someone she was close to was in danger, than I don't think she would kill herself if there was a chance that they were still alive." Ren said.</p><p>"I a-agree with Ka-Kazuhiko-kun. She just d-didn't seem like t-that kind of per-person." Riku commented.</p><p>"There is further evidence that proves that she didn't commit suicide." Kotori said.</p><p>"Indeed." Kichino agreed, rather reluctantly.</p><p>"Yeah! I'm on princey's side! She wouldn't end it so willingly! Something's reeeeeeaaaalllly messed up here!" Kanon shouted.</p><p>"Do not call me that, peasant." The luckster frowned.</p><p>"I agree with Kazuno-san." Atsu said.</p><p>"But what if it's...irrelevant....to the...death...?" Yuu asked.</p><p>"Impossible! I believe that a demon has possessed one of your bodies! She must have been killed!" Yami exclaimed.</p><p>"I didn't get to see much before I passed out, but I saw the knife and her face. I'm certain that she killed herself!" Hideshi said, almost sounding sarcastic.</p><p>Everyone eyed each other in suspicion. It was obvious that the class was practically split.</p><p>"Damnit. What do we do? It's like we're split down the middle." Arata said.</p><p>"<strong>Hooold on a second!!!</strong>"</p><p>Everyone froze at the sound of Monokuma's interjection. They all turned to him. </p><p>"<strong>Split? Did you say split? Then Soaring Heights is proud to present its own morphinominal trial grounds!</strong>"</p><p>Everyone almost fell as their podiums began to lift into the air in a spiral motion. The podiums stopped when they reached a small room. Each of the students were on one side, considering what they are arguing for.</p><p>(A/N: If you don't know how the scrum debate works then look it up)</p><p>
  <strong>[Scrum Debate Start!]</strong>
</p><p>"I'd like to know why you insist that she didn't kill herself. The evidence is all there!" Theo declared.</p><p>Arata looked at the people that were siding with him. </p><p>"Kaminaga-san!"</p><p>"Actually, there is evidence that she didn't kill herself." Kotori countered.</p><p>*Fire!*</p><p>"What about the knife? She must have used that to kill herself." Sara said.</p><p>"Kazuno-san!"</p><p>"Nope! The killer musta put that in her hand to make it look like she did!" Kanon said.</p><p>*Fire!*</p><p>"If there even was a killer, then why didn't they try to hide their crime?" Hideshi asked.</p><p>"Zenaku-san!"</p><p>"It is my deduction that they were in a hurry." Yami said.</p><p>*Miss*</p><p>"She could have hid her motive video, in order to make us think that someone had killed her. Maybe that was her goal: To take us down with her." Yukio said.</p><p>"Kenshin-san!"</p><p>"Or the killer could have taken the motive video to create that illusion." Atsu said.</p><p>*Fire!*</p><p>'<em>I think they're almost convinced. I gotta deal the finishing blow.</em>'</p><p>All at once, the people that were siding with Arata, and Arata himself shouted:</p><p>"<strong>This is our answer!</strong>"</p><p>-</p><p>Just like that, the podiums had lowered and the students were back in their normal circle.</p><p>"Now that you all believe me, we can continue with the trial." Arata said. </p><p>'<em>That was intense. I almost lost.</em>'</p><p>"She must have done something. She was the only one who saw her actual motive video. Therefore she should have been the one to commit the crime right?" Hideshi pondered.</p><p>'<em>There!</em>'</p><p>"<strong>I agree with that!</strong>"</p><p>"Remember what Zenaku-san said earlier? It looked like the killer was in a rush. Maybe they weren't planning on committing murder." Arata suggested.</p><p>"What do you mean?" Theo asked.</p><p>"I think I get it." Kotori said. "The culprit could've accidentally killed her."</p><p>"How do you accidentally kill someone?!" Hideshi asked, incredulous.</p><p>"Maybe...they tripped...?" Yuu suggested.</p><p>"Perhaps the culprit was not the first one to strike."</p><p>Everyone turned their eyes towards the Ultimate Luckster. It was obvious that they were lost.</p><p>"I am sure that at least two of you are not as dense as the rest. What do you think I am talking about?" Kichino asked, clearly annoyed.</p><p>'<em>The culprit wasn't the first one to strike? That could only mean...</em>'</p><p>"A normal reflex to being attacked would be to fight back, so what if that was the case with the killer?" Kotori said.</p><p>"Wait but...that would mean-" Koharu was cut off.</p><p>"-That Takara-san was the first to strike." Arata finished. </p><p>Once again, the trial was engulfed in silence.</p><p>"Then...what Koh-...Akifumi-san said about the motive video will still comply." Atsu said.</p><p>Arata nodded. </p><p>"When something that is precious to you is suddenly threatened, wouldn't you want to find out the truth?" Arata asked.</p><p>"Calm yourself! We do not know that this is the true answer!" Theo straightened his posture.</p><p>"Silence! Hear them out! They have made many valid points thus far." Yami interjected.</p><p>"So...did Takara-san attack them with the knife?" Atsu asked.</p><p>"From what I saw, yes. But we can't be sure about it just yet." Kotori said.</p><p>"How did the killer even get into her room?" Haru's puppet asked.</p><p>"It is under my assumption that she let them in herself. After all she was planning on committing murder due to seeing her own motive video." Kichino said.</p><p>"I apologize if I'm wrong, but what if we've been...misled on a location?" Ren asked.</p><p>"Ridiculous! Where else could the murder have taken place?!" Yami scolded.</p><p>The botanist glanced towards Riku for a moment then he looked at Arata. </p><p>"Katsune-kun, you know what I'm talking about, right?" Ren asked.</p><p>'<em>The murder gave us a wrong location, huh?</em>'</p><p>"<strong>This is it!</strong>"</p><p>"Of course. We've been working under the assumption that she was murdered in her own room. But there's evidence that contradicts that. The laundry room." Arata said</p><p>"The...laundry room..." Yami repeated in confusion.</p><p>"Yes. Akinari-san and Kazuhiko-san found blood in there, so it could have been possi-"</p><p>"<strong>Silence yourself, Demon!</strong>“</p><p>'<em>Huh? A rebuttal?</em>'</p><p>"The words you speak are full of lies. I will be the one to rid you of this treachery!" Yami said.</p><p>
  <strong>(Rebuttal Showdown Start!)</strong>
</p><p>"It is simply not possible that the murder took place elsewhere!" </p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"She was found in her own room, dead."</p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"That means that she was killed in her room!"</p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"No one is said to have even seen her leave her room!"</p><p>*Strike*</p><p>'<em>Alright. It's my turn.</em>'</p><p>"No one usually goes to the laundry room at all. So it would have been a great place to commit murder. And just because no one saw her, doesn't mean that she didn't leave her room." Arata countered.</p><p>(Combo)</p><p>"That doesn't mean anything!" </p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"You still have no proof that it happened there!" </p><p>"<strong>There is proof!</strong>" Arata said</p><p>
  <strong>(Rebuttal Showdown End)</strong>
</p><p>"Huh? What do you mean? If there is proof, then tell us!" Yami demanded, slamming her hands down on her pedestal.</p><p>"Kazuhiko-san, Akinari-san. Do you remember the mop bucket and blood stain you found in the laundry room?" Arata asked.</p><p>"Y-Yes! We fou-found a blood s-stain under the b-b-bucket!" Riku confirmed.</p><p>"And the mop looked like it had been used to clean up a crime. If you had just let me keep talking, then I would've been able to explain that." Arata said, shooting a piercing glare at the exorcist.</p><p>"I...I see...." Yami trailed off.</p><p>The exorcist had been rendered speechless by the sudden information.</p><p>"Wait! How does that prove that the crime took place in the laundry room?!" Haru's puppet asked.</p><p>"There was a bloodstain under the bucket. That means the killer accidentally set down the bucket on top of some of the blood when they tried to clean up. The floor in Takara-san's room was relatively clean, so it couldn't have taken place in there." Kotori confirmed.</p><p>"So Takara-san watched her motive video, then invited the killer to the laundry room. Then she tried to kill them, but they turned the tables on her. When they killed her, they began cleaning up their crime." Hideshi summarized. </p><p>"Then how did Takara-san end up back in her room?" Sara asked.</p><p>"T-they must ha-have carried h-her." Riku said.</p><p>"That doesn't make sense though. She was probably bleeding out, right? So her blood would have gotten everywhere in the hallway if they carried her!" Hideshi said.</p><p>"Not if they had blocked the wound. How do you think they were able to mop up the blood without more spilling out?" Kotori said.</p><p>"Yeah...that would make sense...but what did they use to block the wound?" Atsu asked.</p><p>'<em>What did the killer use to block Takara-san's wounds?</em>'</p><p>"<strong>I got it!</strong>"</p><p>"It had to be her scarf. Look at this. It's completely soaked in blood. They had to have used it to block the wound." Arata said.</p><p>He raised up the scarf that was wrapped around his wrist. He felt a pang of sadness as he stared at the fabric.</p><p>"Did they seriously do that? That's messed up." Atsu said.</p><p>"And the fact that someone murdered someone isn't?" Sara questioned.</p><p>"So Takara-san watched her motive, invited the killer to the laundry room, then attacked them but she died instead. The killer used her scarf to tie off the wound, and cleaned up the blood. Then they carried her back to her room, but what about the blood that was splattered across the bed? She wasn't laying on some of the parts that had blood so it doesn't make sense." Koharu said.</p><p>"Oh! What if they took her blood and splashed it everywhere?! Hehe~! Kinda like an elephant! Uh, minus the blood part." Kanon said.</p><p>"What kind of stupid assumption is that?!" Hideshi asked.</p><p>"<strong>I agree with that!</strong>" </p><p>"Huh? Really? I was just throwing things out there! Go me!" Kanon said, happily.</p><p>"That isn't something that you should necessarily be proud of...." Atsu mumbled.</p><p>"What if they did splatter her blood everywhere. But not in the way you would think. They cleaned up the blood in the laundry room with the mop right?" Arata said.</p><p>"Yeah..." Sara said.</p><p>"You can't mop something up without water. By the time they were done, the water must've been mostly blood. So what if they took that bloody mop water that was in the bucket and splashed it all over the bed to make it look like she had been bleeding out there for awhile." Arata suggested.</p><p>"<strong>I'm sorry, but I must correct your mistake.</strong>"</p><p>'<em>Seriously? Another rebuttal?</em>'</p><p>"I couldn't stand here and listen to this much longer. I'm going to have to correct you." Yukio apologizes. </p><p>'<em>Looks like I'm gonna have to convince him. I won't lose.</em>'</p><p>
  <strong>(Rebuttal Showdown Start)</strong>
</p><p>"There is simply no way that they brought the bucket without splashing anything. They would have had to carry Takara-san and the bucket." </p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"How do you even know that there was enough blood in that water to make a noticeable bloodstain?"</p><p>*Miss*</p><p>"That logic is simply unrealistic." </p><p>*Strike*</p><p>'<em>Okay. My turn.</em>'</p><p>"It's not unrealistic. We don't know how much blood she lost so we can't say that there wasn't enough to make a stain." Arata argued.</p><p>"But you also can't say that there was enough as well." </p><p>*Miss*</p><p>"And you have no proof that your assumption even happened."</p><p>'<em>There!</em>'</p><p>"<strong>No, that's wrong!</strong>"</p><p>
  <strong>(Rebuttal Showdown End)</strong>
</p><p>"...what?" Yukio asked.</p><p>"I have proof that the culprit used the blood mop water." Arata said.</p><p>"Then out with it!" Yami demanded.</p><p>"When I was investigating the room, I noticed that the bedsheets were absolutely soaked. I could tell that all of it wasn't blood. Kaminaga-san was with me." Arata said.</p><p>"Yup. They were definitely wet." Kotori said. </p><p>The investigators mouth twisted into a smirk, like she just remembered something funny.</p><p>After this, Yukio fell silent, seemingly unable to argue anymore.</p><p>"Alright, So Sora-san watched her video, and invited someone to the laundry room, then went 'stabby stabby' and the killer went 'grabby grabby' and then killed her. They covered their tracks and brought her back to her room, and poured bloody water on her bed and...so now what?" Hideshi asked.</p><p>"Now we will try to figure out the murder weapon." Kotori said.</p><p>"What do you mean figure out? It was obviously the bloody kitchen knife!" Haru's puppet said.</p><p>"That can't be right. When we examined the wound, it looked like it had gone straight through her. The kitchen knife isn't long enough to have done that." Arata said.</p><p>"Unless the killer really used a lot of force!" Hideshi piped up.</p><p>"Shut your imbecilic mouth, you uncultured swine." Kichino hissed.</p><p>"C-come on man! I-i was just joking!" Hideshi spluttered.</p><p>"Then what could the murder weapon have been?" Atsu asked.</p><p>"Maybe they used a pole! Those are pretty long!!" Kanon suggested.</p><p>"Hehehe~ that's what she said." Hideshi snickered.</p><p>"Be quiet!" </p><p>Almost everyone spoke in unison, causing the poor boy to almost fall off his platform.</p><p>"I doubt they used a pole. The wound was too wide to be a pole." Kotori said.</p><p>"Where did they even get this mysterious second weapon?!" Haru's puppet interjected.</p><p>"Yeah, that doesn't make a lot of sense. If they had a second weapon, then that meant they knew they were gonna be attacked, which doesn't line up with out whole 'accidental murder' thing." Atsu said.</p><p>'<em>Why would the killer have brought a weapon?</em>'</p><p>"<strong>Wait! That's it!</strong>"</p><p>"Huh? What's it?" Hideshi asked, surprised.</p><p>'<em>How could I have been so blind? It was so obvious!</em>'</p><p>"The reason the killer had brought a weapon, wasn't because they had known they would be attacked. It was because they always had it with them at all times!"</p><p>Reality seemed to dawn on most of the students. </p><p>Arata took a deep breath. He shot his arm up and pointed to the culprit.</p><p>"Theo Aurora! Am I wrong?"</p><p>As he pointed the finger at the Ultimate Thespian, the taller boy widened his eyes and took a step back, almost falling off of his platform.</p><p>"Wh-what?! Young King?! Why are you accusing me of something so villainous?" Theo sputtered.</p><p>Arata's gaze didn't waver.</p><p>"What treachery is this?! Arata-dono, you know that I would never take another life!" Theo argued.</p><p>"Not intentionally. You did it by accident. When Takara-san had attacked you, you panicked and unsheathed your sword, plunging it into Takara-san's body."</p><p>"Lies! I wouldn't do that! An innocent life is meant to be protected, not ended!" Theo said, tightening his grip on his podium.</p><p>The more panicked he got, the less dramatic his words became.</p><p>"Well, if you have any objections then you can say them, but I'm certain that it was y-"</p><p>"<strong>I challenge you to a duel!</strong>”</p><p>'<em>Oh shit. He actually did have an objection.</em>'</p><p>
  <strong>(Rebuttal Showdown Start)</strong>
</p><p>"You are treading down the wrong path, young king! I cannot be the killer!!"</p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"Just because the weapon was similar to mine, doesn't mean that I killed her!"</p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"There were many people awake at that time! I-it must have been one of them!"</p><p>*Strike*</p><p>'<em>He's panicking pretty badly. I think I can do this.</em>'</p><p>"The wound matches your sword. There are no swords in the school except yours." Arata countered.</p><p>"Nonesense! Stop pinning me as the killer!! I did nothing!"</p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"My sword is fake! It can't even pierce through her!"</p><p>'<em>Got it.</em>'</p><p>"<strong>That's where you're wrong!!</strong>"</p><p>*Break*</p><p>"Wha- wrong?!" Theo spluttered.</p><p>"Awe snap! Arata-san's got you!!" Hideshi interrupted.</p><p>"Be quiet!" </p><p>Once again, almost the entire class said this in unison.</p><p>"What do you mean I'm wrong! You don't know how my sword was made!" Theo said.</p><p>"That's true. But you told everyone that it was a tough plastic that could pierce human skin. It's your own words against you." Arata said.</p><p>"Wh-what?! That is still not enough proof! I have an alibi!" Theo exclaimed.</p><p>"What was it?" Kotori questioned.</p><p>"I was in the gymnasium, on the stage. I was practicing the meditation method that my mentor taught me!" Theo recalled.</p><p>"<strong>Allow me to cut through that contradiction!</strong>"</p><p>"I know that you are lying, Aurora-san. You even told me yourself. The meditation method that your mentor taught you couldn't be practiced at night." Arata said.</p><p>*Break*</p><p>Theo's eyes were wide and bloodshot. It looked like all the life had drained from his face, leaving him ghostly pale.</p><p>"How...how did..." Theo was unable to speak.</p><p>"Now, lets go over this case from beginning." Kotori said, looking at Arata.</p><p>Arata nodded.</p><p>'<em>Time to put the pieces together.</em>'</p><p>"<strong>Here's everything that happened in this case!</strong>"</p><p>"It all began yesterday, when we received our motive videos. Naturally, since we didn't know what was on them, we just watched them without thinking. Akifumi-san had received her own broken motive video, meaning that someone else had also gotten their own as well. That someone was Takara-san. After watching her motive video, she began to make a plan. She was going to murder someone. So she went to the kitchen and got one of the knives. She had kept it on her. I'm guessing she chose the victim at random. She tricked them into meeting her at the laundry room. The person they chose was the culprit. She had everything set up. When the culprit arrived, she had attacked them. A normal person would have been stabbed. But the culprit always had a weapon by their side. A sword. When they had seen Takara-san come at them with the knife, they panicked and unsheathed their sword and thrusted it at her. Since Takara-san was running at the culprit, the sword had gone straight through her due to the force. Her blood had gotten on the floor. She must have bled out pretty quickly. Once the culprit realized that they had killed her, they began to clean up their crime and coming up with a plan. First, they grabbed Takara-san's scarf and tied it around her wound in order to stop the bleeding. Then, they grabbed the mop and cleaned up all the blood. They ended up mixing the blood and mop water then they grabbed Takara-san and the bucket and made their way to her room. Once they were there, the culprit then splashed the bloody mop water on the bed to make it look like she had been bleeding out there for awhile. Then they unwrapped the scarf from her wound and tied it back around her neck. They had the knife that Takara-san had attacked them with and they placed it in her hands in order to give the illusion that she had commit suicide. Then, they left the scene after taking the bucket. But they failed to notice that they had accidentally set the bucket down on a puddle of bloody water, leading to the stain we found under the bucket in the laundry room. After they had completed that, I'm assuming they returned to their room and washed the blood off their fake sword.<br/>The next morning, they had gone to breakfast with everyone else and came running when the body discovery announcement was heard. They acted innocent, after all, acting was one of their main talents." Arata concluded.</p><p>"And that person is standing with us here today. The killer...is Theo Aurora, the Ultimate Thespian!"</p><p>*Break*</p><p>"I...I...didn't...I...wouldn't...." </p><p>Theo's words were completely hollow. They were filled with such intense despair. His mouth hung open in disbelief, unable to comprehend everything.</p><p>"<strong>Upupupu~! Looks like everyone is ready to vote! Everyone cast your votes for who you think the killer is! If you don't vote, then you will be punished as well!</strong>" Monokuma said.</p><p>Everyone casted their votes and a slot machine appeared on a monitor. </p><p>-</p><p>"<strong>Ding Ding Ding!! You all voted correctly! The killer of Sora Takara was indeed, Theo Aurora!!</strong>" Monokuma announced. </p><p>
  <strong>(Case Closed)</strong>
</p><p>—————————————————————</p><p>Arata felt a pang of guilt as he stared at the Ultimate Thespian. A shadow fell over Theo's eyes. Nobody dared say a word.</p><p>"Aurora-san...I-" Arata began</p><p>"You did well, young king. As I thought: nothing would get past you. You truly are a noble." Theo said, looking up at Arata with a confident smile.</p><p>Arata stared at the boy in confusion. Why did it sound like he was giving up? That wasn't like him.</p><p>"What do you...why are you still talking like that? You killed someone, and now you're gonna die!" Arata shouted. </p><p>Theo simply laughed. That laugh. It held so much despair.</p><p>"I have accepted my fate. It is true, that I do not wish to die. But the longer you spoke, the more I realized that my deed cannot go unpunished. I took an innocent life, my friend." Theo said, clutching the spot over his heart.</p><p>"But...you didn't mean to. She attacked you first. You just reacted on reflex." Atsu interjected. </p><p>Theo still smiled. </p><p>"Nonetheless, I killed someone. I cannot live with that burden."</p><p>Arata clenched his teeth. He looked down at the bloody scarf that was wrapped around his wrist. </p><p>"What was on Sora-san's motive video that could've led her to try to kill?" Haru's puppet asked suddenly.</p><p>"<strong>Oh? Are we curious? Well then why didn't you say so! Everyone look at the monitor!</strong>" Monokuma said.</p><p>Arata turned his gaze to the monitor. "What are yo-" He was interrupted by Monokuma's voice in the recording.</p><p>"<strong>Sora Takara, The Ultimate Illustrator. She has a loving American family that are cheering on her talent!</strong>"</p><p>Arata narrowed his eyes. Three people appeared on the screen. They were sitting on a couch and they all looked happy. There was a man, a woman, and a teenage girl.</p><p>"<strong>Hello Sora! We heard that you've made it into Soaring Heights! I've never been more proud of you. I miss you so much! I love you darling!</strong>"</p><p>After the woman spoke, the man was next.</p><p>"<strong>Hey Sora! I'm just glad to see my little girl finally achieving her dream! Don't cause any trouble. Love you!</strong>"</p><p>Then, the younger girl spoke up.</p><p>"<strong>I still don't understand why you wanted to study in Japan, but I guess that's your choice. I've been doing great in my writing school! Don't forget, we're gonna make a book together when you graduate! I'm gonna write it, and you're gonna do the illustrations. I miss you Sora! Have a good time!</strong>"</p><p>Arata felt sick to his stomach.</p><p>"<strong>Unfortunately, Sora's family had a terrible accident after this interview!</strong>"</p><p>The screen when black and soon, another scene flashed onto the monitor. The image showed the same room, except it was practically covered in blood. The three people from before were strewn about the room, seemingly critically injured. The three peoples faces were out of the cameras vision.</p><p>"<strong>Wanna know what happened? Find out after you graduate!!</strong>" </p><p>After that, the monitor went black once more. Arata gripped the sides of his wooden podium. His throat was clenched up, making him unable to speak. </p><p>It seemed that everyone was effected by the video.</p><p>Koharu had her head in her hands, practically sobbing. </p><p>Riku had removed his glasses and was crying against Ren's chest. </p><p>Ren had his eyes closed and was trying his best to comfort Riku.</p><p>Yuu was crying as well, although she didn't seem to acknowledge it. She was just...staring at the black screen.</p><p>Atsu was furiously wiping his eyes with his sleeves.</p><p>Kotori had kept her eyes closed the entire time, but her teeth were clenched. </p><p>Haru's hair had fallen over her eyes, so her expression was unreadable.</p><p>Kanon was sobbing very very loudly. </p><p>Hideshi was looked around at the other students reactions in confusion.</p><p>Kichino also had his eyes closed, although his expression was neutral. </p><p>Yami was mumbling something quietly. She held her cross necklace in her clasped hands.</p><p>Yukio was staring at the screen still. He had tears streaming from his eyes. </p><p>Sara had her back turned to the group, so her expression was unreadable.</p><p>Theo had tears streaming down his face as well and a hand placed over his heart. </p><p>Suddenly, the thespian took a step off his platform and began to make his way towards Arata. </p><p>Arata turned so that he could face Theo when he arrived. He hadn't been expecting much to happen. What did happen, would never leave his mind.</p><p>Theo kneeled down in front of Arata. It was like Arata was about to knight him.</p><p>Theo reach to his side and unhook his sword and sheath from his belt. He held the sword out towards Arata. </p><p>"Young King, please accept this. I wish to leave it in the hands of someone who absolutely won't lose to this terrible game." Theo said. </p><p>Arata stared at the sword.</p><p>"Why are you...giving this to me?" Arata asked. </p><p>Theo looked up and met the eyes of the survivor.</p><p>"Because I will no longer be around to wield it. Please take care of it. This is my final request." Theo pleaded.</p><p>Arata stared at the sword. He shakily reached out and grabbed it from the ultimate thespian.</p><p>Once the sword was out of his hands, Theo got to his feet. </p><p>"<strong>Alrighty then! If you're all done with your little pity party, then we can move on to the execution!</strong>" Monokuma interrupted.</p><p>Everyone froze. Execution?</p><p>“Goodbye everyone. May the stars of fate align for us to meet again.” Theo said.</p><p>"<strong>Now then, I've prepared a very special punishment for Theo Aurora, the Ultimate Thespian. Let's give it everything we've got. </strong></p><p><strong>It's....PUNISHMENT TIME!!!!</strong>"</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>(THEO HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY. <br/>TIME FOR THE PUNISHMENT!)</strong>
</p><p>/////////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\</p><p>
  <em>Everyone stares at the blackened. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Theo stares at the ground. A door in the back of the trial room opens up, and a metal collar and chain shoot out towards the blackened.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He gags as the metal collar clamps around his neck, dragging him to his punishment.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>When he's finally released, he ends out on a stage. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Dozens of Monokuma's are in the crowd.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A title flashes on the screen.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Encore! Encore!</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Strings are suddenly attached to Theo's arms and legs.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A giant Monokuma begins to move him around like a puppet.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He is carelessly tossed around the stage like ragdoll. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The sides of the stage are covered in broken glass and nails and other sharp objects.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Each time he is slammed into a wall, he receives another broken bone or injury.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Soon, he is unable to even stand, and hangs from the strings helplessly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The curtain closes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The Monokuma's began to shout out.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Encore! Encore!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Soon, the curtains open once more.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>They reveal Theo, still hanging limply from the strings.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He shakily lifts his head and gazes at the crowd. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Then, the giant Monokuma yanks the strings upwards in one final motion.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The force was too powerful.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The echo of Theo's neck snapping could be heard throughout the area.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The giant Monokuma then moves Theo's corpse so that it was standing up straight.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Then, the corpse was made bow.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The curtains close once more.</em>
</p><p>————————————————————</p><p>Arata stared at the scene in front of him. He had been in the back of the audience of Monokuma's, with the rest of his classmates. They were behind a gate so that they couldn't interfere.</p><p>Somehow, they ended out back in the trial room. No one spoke.</p><p>"<strong>Wowie! What an amazing show! Four out of five stars! The ratings are through the roof!</strong>" Monokuma said.</p><p>Arata clenched his teeth. He couldn't take his eyes off the sword that was in his hands. He turned it over in his hands.</p><p>He found that a piece of paper was attached to it. He plucked it off and read it.</p><p>'<em>Stay Strong. Life Is For The Living. And Don't Forget About Me, Young King.</em>'</p><p>After Arata read those words, he clenched his jaw.</p><p>He suddenly slammed his fist into his podium.</p><p>"DAMNIT!!"</p><p>'<em>Takara-san...Aurora-san...I'm sorry...I couldn't save you. I've never been able to save anyone. I've only ever been able been able to save myself</em>'</p><p>————————————————————</p><p>Arata didn't remember how he made it back to his dorm room. </p><p>He didn't care. </p><p>He just needed to sleep. He still held Theo's sword and Sora's scarf as he curled up in his bed. </p><p>'<em>I'm sorry...</em>‘</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Remember Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Arata didn't know how long he had been sleeping for. He would open his eyes every so often, only to close them again. He was barely sleeping at all. He was drifting in and out of consciousness every so often.</p><p>Soon enough, Arata sat up in the bed. He looked to his left and locked eyes on the fake sword. He looked down at his wrist and saw that the bloody scarf was still around his wrist. He looked up at the clock. </p><p>10:09 am.</p><p>He had missed the morning announcement and breakfast. He got off of his bed and unwrapped the scarf from around his wrist and placed it next to the fake sword.</p><p>'<em>I haven't showered in a few days. I should probably do that.</em>'</p><p>Arata made his way towards the bathroom and shut the door behind him.</p><p>—————————————————————</p><p>After Arata got out of the shower, he waited some time for his hair to dry. </p><p>Once it finally did, he brushed it and put his clothes back on. He looked at the clock again.</p><p>12:00 pm.</p><p>Arata looked down at the objects that were on his bed. He reached down and grabbed the bloody scarf and put it into his pocket. He put his Monopad in his pants pocket.</p><p>He turned and placed his hand on the doorknob. Momentarily, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. </p><p>'<em>I can do this.</em>'</p><p>Arata turned the doorknob and opened his door. He exited the room and made his way out of the boys dormitory. He continued down the hallway and was heading to a specific room. </p><p>When the survivor passed by the cafeteria, he saw that it was completely empty. It didn't really surprise him.</p><p>He continued walking and finally ended up were he wanted: the laundry room.</p><p>Arata made his way to the washing machine and placed Sora's bloody scarf inside. He turned on the machine and waited.</p><p>'<em>This scarf meant so much to her. I can't just leave it like that. It's all that's left of her.</em>'</p><p>——————————————————————</p><p>Once the scarf was done in the washer and dryer, Arata grabbed it and stared at the fabric.</p><p>'<em>Good as new.</em>' </p><p>Arata placed it into his pocket and began to head back to his room. </p><p>Once he was in the boys dormitory, he noticed that one of the rooms were open. He froze.</p><p>'<em>That's...Aurora-san's room.</em>'</p><p>Arata hesitantly walked towards the open door. Once he peered inside, he was surprised by what he saw.</p><p>"...Kazuhiko-san?" Arata called out.</p><p>The ultimate botanist lifted his head and looked towards the doorways where Arata stood. He smiled.</p><p>"Hello Katsune-kun. I'm glad to see that you're awake. I think we might be the only ones up." Ren said.</p><p>Arata took out his Monopad quickly and checked the time. </p><p>2:30 pm.</p><p>He put it back into his pocket. </p><p>"What are you doing here?" Arata asked.</p><p>Ren turned towards the desk that he was standing in front of. Arata followed his gazed and finally noticed that there were flowers laying on the desk. </p><p>"Who put those there?"</p><p>"I did. It's a tradition to honor our deceased classmates and friends." Ren said. </p><p>The botanist turned to Arata and beckoned him into the room. Arata hesitated before finally entering the room. He stood next to Ren and looked down at the flowers.</p><p>"Katsune-kun, do you know the language of flowers?" Ren asked.</p><p>"No."</p><p>Ren smiled sympathetically.</p><p>"The language of flowers is extraordinary. It is cryptological communication through the use or arrangement of flowers. I took these flowers from the indoor garden. As much as I hate to pick flowers, I know that these belong here. These two types of flowers have special meanings." Ren said.</p><p>The botanist gestured to the two types of flowers on the desk. </p><p>"Meaning?"</p><p>Ren leaned down and picked up one of the flowers.</p><p>"This one is a magnolia flower. They mostly grow on trees and they tend to have a pink color but otherwise, they are mostly white. The meaning of this flower is nobility." Ren explained.</p><p>Arata nodded.</p><p>Ren set the flower down and picked up the second one.</p><p>"This is a carnation. Different colors can translate to a variety of different things. But since this is pink, it had a special meaning. It means 'I will never forget you'. I choose these two since they seemed to represent Aurora-kun the most." Ren said. </p><p>Arata stared at the two flowers with a longing expression.</p><p>"Sounds like him." Arata said.</p><p>Ren nodded. Suddenly, the botanist seemed to remember something. He reached into his pocket and took out two more flowers. Arata stared at him in confusion.</p><p>"I was going to drop these off at Takara-san's room. Would you like to come with me?" Ren asked.</p><p>Arata nodded. </p><p>Ren smiled and walked out of the room. Arata glanced back at the flowers that sat on the thespians desk. He smiled and closed the door.</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>The two boys arrived outside the deceased girls room. Arata gulped as Ren opened the door. Part of him had expected to see Sora's body, still laying on the bed, with the smell of death lingering everywhere.</p><p>When the door was opened, he discovered that the room was completely clean. It was almost as if the murder hadn't even happen. </p><p>It was almost as if Sora Takara never existed.</p><p>Ren entered the room and approached the desk. He held the two types of flowers in his hands.</p><p>"What do these ones mean?" Arata asked.</p><p>Ren held out a large flower.</p><p>"This is a yellow rose. It's one of the most well known flowers in the world. Different colors mean different things. A yellow rose signifies friendship." Ren explained.</p><p>He set the yellow flower down on the desk and held out the next one.</p><p>"These are lilacs. They are a beautiful purple flower that sometimes have a silver lining. They represent family." Ren said, setting the flower down next to the other one.</p><p>Arata stared at the flowers. They looked like they had absolutely nothing in common with each other. But they both represented Sora Takara perfectly. </p><p>"Kazuhiko-san, even though you didn't know either of them well, you still care to do something like this." Arata said.</p><p>"Everyone deserves to be bid farewell, even if they had malicious intentions before they died. They were both just kids, Katsune-kun. They had no idea what they were truly doing. We're all just kids, forced to live in a cage like this. If we had really been classmates, I'm sure we all could have been the best of friends. It pains my heart to see what has become of them. When an animal is cornered or threatened, their fight or flight skills will kick in. For both Takara-san and Aurora-kun, they fought. They both fought for what they cherish. For Takara-san, that was her family. For Aurora-kun, at that moment, it was his life." Ren said.</p><p>"Can you...give me a moment?" Arata asked.</p><p>Ren nodded and began to leave the room. </p><p>"After we escape, let's be friends Katsune-kun. I wish to open a flower shop. Perhaps you can help me." Ren said.</p><p>With that, the botanist left the room, leaving Arata alone.</p><p>Arata looked around the room in silence. He began to speak.</p><p>"I don't know if you can hear me, but I just wanted to say....I'm sorry. But if you're a ghost or something, then just wait. I'll get out of here. If I can, I'm gonna try to find your family. I know they can't be dead." </p><p>After he finished talking, he turned and walked towards the door. He looked back one final time. Then he closed the door with a gentle click.</p><p>'"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""</p><p>
  <em>She watched as the boy closed the door. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Once more, the room was engulfed in darkness. She could still see. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>She slowly walked over to the desk and stared down at the flowers. She reached down and grazed the petals with the tip of her fingers. They passed right through it. She sighed.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tears streamed down her face as she looked back towards the door. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I believe in you, Arata. I may not be able to leave with you, but I hope you can leave with everyone. Then, you can all be friends." She said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She forced a giggle.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Don't lose hope." </em>
</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>Arata entered the Ultimate Thespians room. He made his way to the desk and looked down at the flowers.</p><p>"Aurora-san...you are probably one of the only friends I've ever made in my life. If I can even call you a friend. I don't even know if you're listening. I'm gonna take your sword with me. I'm gonna keep it so I never forget you. I'm gonna get out of here. That much I can promise."</p><p>The survivor turned and left the room. </p><p>""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""</p><p>
  <em>He watched the boy leave. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He was leaning against the wall of the room. Looking over at his former desk.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Young king...you have a heart of gold and the traits of an amazing ruler. I have no doubt that you will make it out of this alive." He said. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He pushed himself off the wall. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"My time is up, Arata-dono. Take care of our classmates. Remember, you are never alone."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He stood upright.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Thank you..."</em>
</p><p>————————————————————</p><p>Arata walked out if the boys dormitory. He continued in the direction of the cafeteria.</p><p>7:25 pm.</p><p>He hadn't been expecting anyone to be at the cafeteria. So he was surprised when he walked through the cafeteria doors. </p><p>There were a few people there. Koharu, Hideshi, Atsu, and Yuu.</p><p>"Hey Katsune-san. You should eat with us." Atsu offered.</p><p>"Alright." Arata said.</p><p>Once he gathered his food on a plate, he joined the few students.</p><p>"How are you feeling Yuu-san?" Arata asked. </p><p>He wasn't expecting what happened next. Yuu practically jumped out of her seat and hugged Arata tightly. He only stared at her in confusion.</p><p>It took him a moment to realize that the girl was crying. His eyes became sad and he did his best to comfort her. He gently hugged the girl back but he couldn't possibly be more awkward about it.</p><p>"A-Arata-san...I'm..scared...I don't...w-wanna die.." Yuu cried.</p><p>Arata sighed and continued to hug the girl.</p><p>"You aren't gonna die, Yuu-san. As long as you have hope." Arata said.</p><p>Yuu looked up at him with tired and tearful eyes. </p><p>"R...really..?" She hiccuped.</p><p>"Yeah. You don't have to worry about it. And I know you're tired right now. You can fall asleep if you want. I'll carry you back to your room." Arata said.</p><p>"Thank...y..ou..." Yuu whispered.</p><p>In an instant, Yuu was out cold. Arata sighed again and scooped the girl into his arms and stood up.</p><p>He looked back at the table and noticed that everyone was staring at him.</p><p>"Whoa...when did you get so nice...and protagonist-y?" Hideshi asked.</p><p>Arata shrugged.</p><p>"I'm not trying to be nice. I'm just being human." Arata said.</p><p>"Alright. See ya later, Katsune-san. I look forward to leaving this place with you and everyone. Maybe I can take you to my pawnshop one day." Atsu said.</p><p>He turned and left the cafeteria without answering Atsu. He walked down the hallways and ended up at the girls dormitory. He struggled to open Yuu's door since both of his hands were in use. Eventually, he managed to get it open.</p><p>The survivor entered the room and placed the girl down gently on the bed. He pulled the covers over her and turned and left. </p><p>"Goodnight." He mumbled before closing the door.</p><p>————————————————————</p><p>Arata looked up at the clock in his room. </p><p>It was 9:37 pm.</p><p>He felt completely wiped out and he didn't know why. He didn't even do much that day. He decided to call it a night and slipped out of his shoes and took off his blazer.</p><p>Arata laid down in the bed. He looked over towards the dresser where he had put Theo's sword and Sora's scarf. </p><p>He chuckled.</p><p>'<em>Don't worry guys. I won't let you be forgotten. Even if I'm the last person that remembers you, I'll stay alive as long as I can to keep your legacy's alive.</em>' He thought.</p><p>Arata closed he's eyes and began to drift off to sleep.</p><p>"It's a...promise..." he mumbled before falling asleep.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you want to see the full and unfiltered version of this story, go read it on my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. It Takes One To Know One</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"<strong>Good morning, everyone! It is now 7 a.m. and nighttime is officially over! Time to rise and shine! Get ready to greet another beee-yutiful day!</strong>"</p><p>Arata was immediately up. He pulled on his blazer and slipped into his shoes. He grabbed his Monopad and put it into his pocket.</p><p>He looked towards the dresser.</p><p>Arata walked to his door and opened it. He exited the room and looked around. He was surprised to see one person standing there.</p><p>"Katsune-san, do you know if anyone left their room yesterday?" Kichino asked.</p><p>"As far as I know, it was only me and Kazuhiko-san. During dinner, it was Kenshin-san, Akifumi-san, Nakashima-san and Yuu-san." Arata explained.</p><p>The Luckster closed his eyes for a moment, as if he were thinking about something. Then he opened them again and clicked his tongue.</p><p>"I see." Kichino said.</p><p>After that, the Luckster exited the boys dormitory. Arata remained behind, staring after him in confusion. </p><p>Arata huffed and continued what he had originally set off to do. He approached one of the boys doors. He knocked on it loud enough that it wasn't considered threatening.</p><p>A moment later, Yukio answered the door. He stared down at Arata.</p><p>"Yes?" The mad scientist asked.</p><p>"I want you to come to breakfast. I didn't see you come out of your room to eat yesterday. It won't take long. You can just eat and leave if you want." Arata said, getting right to the point.</p><p>Yukio remained staring at Arata with an unreadable expression on his face.</p><p>"Very well. I haven't eaten in awhile." Yukio said.</p><p>The boy then walked out of his room and closed the door. </p><p>"Just wait by the door and I'll gather everyone else." Arata said.</p><p>Yukio nodded and walked towards the door that led out of the dormitory. He stood by it and stared down at the ground.</p><p>Arata continued onto the next door, after skipping his own room. He looked at the nameplate on the room. Oh boy.</p><p>He gently knocked on the boys door, having learned not to knock too hard from last time. </p><p>The door opened suddenly quickly.</p><p>"Gah!!!" </p><p>Hideshi fell backwards when he spotted Arata.</p><p>"You are gonna give me a heart attack man!!!" The boy exclaimed.</p><p>"Did you not hear me knock?" Arata asked.</p><p>"Oh course not!" Hideshi said, scrambling to his feet. "You knock like a girl!"</p><p>"Anyways. I'm gathering everyone to have breakfast. I want you to come too." Arata said.</p><p>Hideshi stared at the gray haired boy with a look of confusion.</p><p>"Huh? Why?" </p><p>"Because I said so." Arata said.</p><p>Hideshi's face twisted into a smile.</p><p>"Alright man! Glad to see you haven't changed much!" Hideshi said.</p><p>The mystery boy then exited his room and made his way over to Yukio. The mad scientist looked anything but pleased to see Hideshi.</p><p>Arata sighed and moved to the last room on that side. Before he could knock, the door opened.</p><p>"Oh, what's up Katsune-san?" Atsu asked.</p><p>"Come eat breakfast with us. I'm gonna try to get everyone." Arata said.</p><p>Atsu stared at him blankly before chuckling.</p><p>"Alright. I'll wait for you by the door." The swindler said.</p><p>Atsu left his room and walked towards Yukio and Hideshi. The taller boy ended up having to pry Hideshi off of Yukio.</p><p>'<em>Alright. Two left. I think I know how to get them both</em>'</p><p>Arata approached the Ultimate Assistants room and gently knocked on the door. He heard moving from the other side and soon, the door opened.</p><p>Ren smiled as he saw Arata.</p><p>"Good morning Katsune-kun. I was just convincing Riku-chan to come with me to breakfast." The botanist explained.</p><p>Arata peered into the room and saw Riku standing behind Ren. He was staring at the ground. </p><p>"Are you gonna come Akinari-san?" Arata asked, raising an eyebrow.</p><p>Riku pushed his glasses up and sighed.</p><p>"F-Fine..." He mumbled.</p><p>Ren smiled and exited the room with Riku in tow. Arata followed them to the group of boys that were gathered near the door.</p><p>"Alright. Follow me. Arata said.</p><p>The survivor led the boys out of the dormitory and to the cafeteria. </p><p>When they arrived, Arata was happy to see that Yami had the same idea as him, since all of the girls were there. </p><p>The boys entered the room and headed in different directions. </p><p>Arata walked over to Yami, who was watching him approached.</p><p>"Good morning." He said.</p><p>Yami smiled.</p><p>"Good morning to you as well. Your aura has changed." Yami observed.</p><p>Arata glanced off to the side.</p><p>"Is that so?" Arata asked.</p><p>Yami nodded.</p><p>"In other news, I would like to inform you that the staircase near the girls dormitory is now open. The gate that blocked it is gone. Is it the same for your side as well?" Yami asked.</p><p>Arata perked up. Another floor of the school?</p><p>"I didn't check. But maybe we should explore after breakfast. We should split into two groups, if the stairway near the boys dormitory is open, then meet halfway." Arata said.</p><p>Yami nodded. </p><p>"Replenish your strength, Arata-kun. We have a long day of work ahead of us." Yami instructed.</p><p>After that, the exorcist made her way towards another one of the students.</p><p>Arata went to the breakfast buffet in the back and grabbed a couple things. He didn't realize how hungry he was till he had cleared his plate in seconds.</p><p>"Whoa! Slow down there. You're gonna make yourself sick if you eat too quickly, Katsune-san. Just take it easy, okay?" Atsu said.</p><p>Arata nodded and went back to the kitchen. He placed his plate in the sink and went out to join the others. </p><p>The survivor spotted Kichino at a table by himself. Every part of him screamed to leave the luckster alone, but his feet brought him over to the boy.</p><p>"I do not recall saying that you could sit with me." Kichino said, not even looking up at Arata. </p><p>"And I don't recall asking permission. So the feelings mutual in that aspect." He shot back.</p><p>He took a seat that was a few seats lengths away from Kichino.</p><p>"Zenaku-san said that the gate that blocked the stairway near the girls dormitory is gone. After breakfast, we were gonna gather everyone to explore the second floor." Arata told him.</p><p>"Why are you telling me this?" Kichino questioned.</p><p>"Because I wanted you to know. You rarely talk to anyone so I thought I might as well tell you. I know we aren't friends, but when and if the time comes, I want you to at least act as my ally." Arata said.</p><p>A chilling and bitter laugh pierced the air around them. The sound of the students seemed to fade into the background.</p><p>"Friends? Ally? Do you really think we are as close as you think? Those idiots might be, but know that I am not, and will never be, your friend or ally."</p><p>The lucksters voice was low and held a dangerous tone to it.</p><p>"This is a game that we are playing. A game to see who will break down first. Who will commit murder in order for their own survival. I, do not intent to lose. I will not die. But I have no doubt that this killing game is not even close to over yet. We may be Ultimates. We may be classmates. But I assure you; We are not friends or allies." </p><p>The Luckster stood up from his seat and began to walk away from the table. He stopped for a moment and looked back at Arata.</p><p>"This is war, Katsune-san. There is no winning side. There is only victory in bloodshed. So either fight, or die."</p><p>After that, he disappeared out the cafeteria doors.</p><p>Arata remained staring at his hands. He was at a loss for words.</p><p>'<em>What the hell is his problem?</em>' </p><p>Arata stood up and took a deep breath. God he hated people.</p><p>——————————————————————</p><p>After everyone had finished their breakfast, Yami and Arata had divided them into two groups, not including Kichino.</p><p>Group 1: Yami, Atsu, Ren, Yuu, Sara, Yukio, Koharu.</p><p>Group 2: Arata, Riku, Kanon, Haru, Hideshi, Kotori</p><p>Once the groups were decided, they went their separate ways.</p><p>Arata led his group to the staircase that was near the boys dormitory. Sure enough, the gate that was once blocking it off was gone. He took a deep breath.</p><p>"Alright. Everyone be careful. This may be a school but that bear could have tons of hidden traps." Arata warned before turning toward the staircase.</p><p>Before he could even take a step forward, Kanon leaped in front of him and raced up the steps.</p><p>"Broke protocoooooooollll!!!" The DJ yelled.</p><p>Her voice echoed all the way up the stairs. It eventually became silent.</p><p>Arata facepalmed and began to head up the stairs.</p><p>"That was a good example of what you shouldn't do." He explained to the few students behind him. </p><p>The survivor continued up the steps until he came into a hallway. The other students were right behind him. </p><p>Riku was trailing farther behind.</p><p>Arata looked to his right and noticed a wooden door. He didn't hesitant to approach it and open it. The door squeaked in protest. </p><p>The small room was basically a supplies closet. There where many cleaning supplies and a few folding tables and chairs. Near the back, there was a large box that was overflowing with pool gear. </p><p>Once Arata was done looking around the supplies closet, he closed the wooden door and turned back to his group.</p><p>"It's just a supplies closet. Nothing really interesting." Arata informed them.</p><p>"Hehehe~...Glad you finally decided to come out of the closet." Hideshi blurted out.</p><p>The mystery boy fell to the ground, laughing so hard he was practically wheezing.</p><p>Haru looked down at the boy with a disinterested expression.</p><p>"Get off the floor you weirdo!" Haru's puppet scolded Hideshi.</p><p>"You have to admit, it was kinda funny." Kotori said, snickering.</p><p>Riku was leaning against the wall, most likely not listening.</p><p>Meanwhile, Arata was staring at the laughing boy in confusion. He didn't understand what was so funny. </p><p>"...what..?" Arata asked.</p><p>"He doesn't get it!! That's even better." Hideshi exclaimed, getting to his feet, still giggling uncontrollably.</p><p>Kotori had already moved past the joke. She was looking down the left hallway.</p><p>"We should probably continue looking." The investigator said, absentmindedly.</p><p>Arata nodded and continued down the hallway. They reached a large room and noticed multiple doors around.</p><p>"D-Do you...h-hear that..?" Riku spoke up for the first time.</p><p>Arata listened closely to the silence. He soon began to hear a soft and muffled sound. Multiple sounds.</p><p>"That sounds like music." Haru's puppet piped up.</p><p>Arata immediately pinpointed that the sound was coming from the first door on his right. He approached the wooden door and turned the metal handle.</p><p>The sound of music filled the hallway almost immediately. </p><p>Arata looked into the room.</p><p>A music room. With rows of seats facing a small stage that had a piano on it.</p><p>The survivor noticed that someone was sitting at the piano. The music that the student was singing was in English. He couldn't fully understand what they were singing.</p><p>"<em>...the ink flows down into a dark puddle. </em></p><p>
  <em>Just move your hand - write the way into their heart!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But in this world of infinite choices </em>
</p><p>
  <em>What will it take just to find that special day?</em>
</p><p><em>What will it take...just to find...that special day?</em>"</p><p>The singing and the piano came to a halt as Kanon noticed her sudden audience. She smiled and hopped off the stage.</p><p>"Hey guys! Can you believe they have a music room?!" The DJ asked</p><p>She jumped up and down like an excited child. </p><p>"I-i-i didn't k-know you cou-could play a-a piano l-like that. Y-your singing v-voice is really ex-extra-extraordinary." Riku said. </p><p>Kanon chuckled awkwardly and scratched the back of her neck.</p><p>"It's something I learned awhile back. Did you know that my mother once held the title of Ultimate Musician. She went to this very school. She knew how to speak English so she taught me that song. I don't know if it's still popular in America anymore." Kanon rambled.</p><p>Arata stared at the DJ. </p><p>"You sounded good." Arata said.</p><p>Kanon's eyes lit up and she shot forwards and grabbed Arata's hands. </p><p>"Really? Thank you!" Kanon exclaimed.</p><p>After that, the girl basically cartwheeled out of the room, wandering off on her own again.</p><p>Arata remained frozen. He looked very frazzled. Why had she reacted so differently to his compliment?</p><p>Riku chuckled.</p><p>"I-I think she's t-taken a liking t-to you, Ka-Katsune-kun." The assistant said.</p><p>Arata looked around awkwardly. </p><p>"Let's go look at the other rooms." Arata said.</p><p>The survivor led the few kids out of the music room and towards the door he saw on his left. This door looked very different from the other ones.</p><p>It was outlined with gold and the door was completely back. He reached out and grabbed the metal handle. The door swung open without a sound.</p><p>There was a table in the center and what looked to be a bar. There were arcade machines and a pool table as well as pool cues on the wall.</p><p>Arata was confused by the layout of the room. He didn't understand what it was supposed to be.</p><p>"Oh, looks like we found the rec room. I don't think I've seen a pool table in years." Kotori said.</p><p>The investigator maneuvered her way around Arata and into the so call 'rec room.'</p><p>Arata hesitantly walked inside as well. He was about to start looking around when he heard a loud thump and the sound of glass shattering. </p><p>Hideshi yelped, having been startled by the sound. Arata raced out of the rec room and towards where he heard the sound. He ended up in front of a metal door and quickly flung open it open.</p><p>It was a lab that was very dark. There was a metal countertop and around it was many different chemistry supplies and many refrigerators full of chemicals.</p><p>Arata widened his eyes at the DJ that lay on the floor. He could see a crimson liquid dripping from her forehead. There were glass shards scattered around her as well. </p><p>"Shit!" </p><p>Arata turned around to see that his group was still behind him. Kotori had managed to catch Hideshi when he passed out. It was assumed to be because of the blood. She then promptly dropped him.</p><p>Riku raced into the room and ran to Kanon's side. He looked like he was going to have a stroke right then and there. The assistant visibly relaxed when he saw that the DJ was still breathing. </p><p>"I guess we found the chemistry lab." Arata mumbled.</p><p>He stared at Riku for a moment, watching as the boy tried to lift Kanon off the ground, only resulting in her having moved an inch. </p><p>'<em>Wow. He has little to no physical strength</em>'</p><p>"What do we do?! We have two unconscious people here and one of them is bleeding!!!" Haru's puppet exclaimed, waving its tiny paws around frantically.</p><p>"We don't have to worry about Nakashima-san because he's just unconscious, probably. How about we focus on Kazuno-san. We need someone to bring her to the infirmary." Kotori said.</p><p>"H-how about we-we find so-some-someone from the oth-other group. L-like Kenshin-kun. He looks l-like he c-could carry h-her." Riku suggested.</p><p>"Makayu-san, can you go get Kenshin-san from the other group?" Arata asked.</p><p>The cat puppet on Haru's hand seemed to salute. After that, Haru turned and ran off.</p><p>A few moments later, Haru returned, practically dragging Atsu by his arm.</p><p>"Hey! Slow down! What is it-" Atsu stopped as he spotted Kanon.</p><p>"Is she...." </p><p>"No. She's just unconscious. We need you to carry her down to the infirmary." Arata said.</p><p>"I'll c-come with yo-you. I've h-had my share i-in-in medical kn-knowledge." Riku stuttered.</p><p>Atsu nodded and approached Kanon. He hesitated before picking her up bridal style, then turned and left the room. Riku followed him.</p><p>"What should we do about Nakashima-san?" Arata said, mostly talking to himself.</p><p>"Maybe we should leave him here. He seems fine." Kotori suggested.</p><p>"As much as I want to agree, I don't think that's exactly a humane thing to do." Arata said.</p><p>"Don't worry! Watch this!" Haru's puppet exclaimed.</p><p>Haru moved to the side of Hideshi and grabbed his leg. She then proceeded to drag the boy out of the chemistry lab.</p><p>Arata watched the girl and looked towards Kotori, who's eyes were wide as well.</p><p>"Wow. She's surprisingly strong." Kotori said.</p><p>Arata nodded. He and Kotori made their way out of the room and decided to continue exploring. They moved on to the door that was next to the chemistry lab. They opened it.</p><p>A room of art easels and many many many paint cans. </p><p>"Ah, I guess this is the art room." Kotori said, looking around. She stayed outside the room still.</p><p>"Are you gonna come inside?" Arata asked.</p><p>Kotori shook her head.</p><p>"I'm allergic to latex. Some paint contains latex so I can't go in there. Even the smell makes me want to vomit." She said.</p><p>Arata nodded.</p><p>"Then I guess we don't need to explore in there. We get the basic gist of it anyways." Arata said, exiting.</p><p>Kotori smiled. Arata closed the door and they two continued walking. Haru was behind them, still dragging an unconscious Hideshi. </p><p>It didn't take them even a minute before they ran into the other group. They met in the middle of the hallway.</p><p>"Arata-kun! Where is the rest of your group? And why is Hideshi-kun being dragged?" Yami asked, pushing to the front of her group.</p><p>"He's unconscious. Kazuno-san got into an incident in the chemistry lab and ended up getting hurt. Nakashima-san saw blood and passed out." Arata explained. </p><p>"Ah, so that's why Haru-san came to get Atsu-kun." Yami said, skeptically.</p><p>"Hey Katsune-kun, Where is Riku-chan? Wasn't he with your group?" Ren asked, peaking out from the back of the group.</p><p>"He went with Kazuno-san and Kenshin-san to the infirmary." Arata explained.</p><p>Ren nodded. He turned back towards the stairs.</p><p>"I'm gonna go see if they need anything." The botanist said before disappearing down the hallway.</p><p>"Arata-kun! Explain your findings!" Yami demanded suddenly, scaring a few people in the process.</p><p>"We found a supply closet, rec room, music room, chemistry lab, and art room. What about you guys?" Arata asked.</p><p>"We found a boys and girls bathroom and a computer lab. The computers would not turn on. We spent awhile trying." Yami said.</p><p>"What time is it?" Arata asked.</p><p>"4:20 pm." Sara said.</p><p>Arata heard a stifled laugh from behind him when the time was said. He decided to ignore it.</p><p>"Maybe we should call it a day." Arata said.</p><p>"Very well. Everyone, you may take the rest of the day to wander. Remember to meet at the cafeteria for dinner at 7:00 pm." Yami said. </p><p>Most of the students nodded while the rest were off in their own world.</p><p>Arata sighed. He turned back to Hideshi.</p><p>"Should we drop him off at his room?" Arata asked.</p><p>"How are we gonna drag him down the stairs without hurting him?" Kotori asked.</p><p>"Simple. Just carry him." Sara said from right behind Arata.</p><p>He jumped at the sound of her voice and spun around.</p><p>"We aren't strong enough to carry him." Arata pointed out.</p><p>"Then move. I'll do it." Sara said, firmly. </p><p>The markswoman pushed past Arata and kneeled down next to Hideshi. He watched as Sara hauled the boy onto her back in a fireman's carry way. She began walking in the direction of the stairs. </p><p>"Are all Ultimate usually this terrifying?" Arata asked.</p><p>"Probably." Kotori answered.</p><p>Arata turned back to her. He looked around. Where did Haru go? He didn't see her leave.</p><p>"I swear, it's hard to remember that all of these Ultimates are just kids." Kotori mumbled.</p><p>Arata nodded. </p><p>"You don't normally see this many Ultimates in one place. It's likely that someone with a grudge against Ultimates has trapped us here. Then decided to make us kill one another. Which still confuses me." She pondered aloud. </p><p>Arata sighed.</p><p>"I don't wanna think about that right now. Whoever it is, they obviously aren't gonna hurt us unless we hurt them first. So we're fine for the time being. Who would put a group of kids to this hell? We didn't do anything." Arata said.</p><p>"The balance of the world isn't fair; for either side of the spectrum. Some people live a normal life. Nothing special. Someone else has lived an abnormal life. They fought for their talent. That doesn't make them any different. I'm just one of those people who happened to get a talent. I really didn't deserve it." Kotori said.</p><p>"You know, you shouldn't think that you don't deserve your talent. It's something that's a once in a lifetime thing for a normal person to achieve. You should be proud. I don't think I could've collected enough evidence for the trial if I didn't have your help." Arata said.</p><p>Kotori stared at Arata before beginning to laugh.</p><p>"Thanks. You're quite the symbol of hope aren't you?" She asked.</p><p>Arata froze. Hope? That felt so foreign to him. Hope.</p><p>Hope.</p><p>Hope</p><p>Hope</p><p>Hope....</p><p>"Everyone keeps flaunting the word 'hope' carelessly. It's not uncommon to mistake despair for hope." Arata said, turning away from the investigator.</p><p>He couldn't see the look on her face, but he was nearly certain that it was full of confusion.</p><p>'<em>Maybe I should go check on Kazuno-san.</em>'</p><p>"I'll see you later." Arata said, leaving Kotori by herself.</p><p>——————————————————————</p><p>"K-Kazuno-san! Pl-Pleease stop m-moving. You're go-goin-going to m-make it w-wo-worse!" Riku said.</p><p>Arata entered the infirmary walked in on Riku who was still treating Kanon's injuries.</p><p>"But staying still is really really boring! I gotta do something!" Kanon exclaimed.</p><p>The two looked over at Arata, who smiled awkwardly and waved, after having finally noticed him standing there.</p><p>"How are you feeling, Kazuno-san?" Arata asked.</p><p>Riku was holding a pair of tweezers and there was a small tray next to him, filled with small shards of bloody glass. </p><p>"I'm feeling great!" </p><p>Riku grumbled as the DJ shifted while he was still working. </p><p>Arata suddenly got an idea. He had learned this a long time ago. He walked up beside Kanon and reached behind her neck.</p><p>"Sorry about this." </p><p>After giving his advance warning, the survivor jabbed at a certain place behind the DJ's neck. The girls body went completely limp as she lost consciousness.</p><p>Riku was staring at Arata in pure fear.</p><p>"She's not dead. Just unconscious. I hit a pressure point in her neck that forces her to fall asleep." Arata explained.</p><p>Riku finally relaxed and shakily continued working on picking the glass pieces out of Kanon's forehead.</p><p>"Alright. I'm gonna go. I just wanted to check on her. Goodbye." Arata said, turning to leave the infirmary.</p><p>"W-wait!" </p><p>Arata stopped and turned around to look at Riku. The assistant looked surprised as well, like he didn't mean to speak up.</p><p>"C-can you...g-go get Kazuhiko-kun an-and tell h-him to-to come h-here?" The assistant asked.</p><p>"Um...sure thing." Arata said, slightly confused.</p><p>He turned and left the room. As he was walking, he must have spaced out because he bumped into someone.</p><p>Oh.</p><p>How convenient for him.</p><p>"Kazuhiko-san, Akinari-san wants to see you in the infirmary." Arata said.</p><p>Ren nodded. He hurried towards the infirmary.</p><p>'What was that about?'</p><p>Arata decided to shake it off and continued walking.</p><p>'<em>I guess I'll go back to my room for now.</em>' </p><p>Arata began to head towards his room. Before he took another step, he felt something enter his neck. </p><p>He widened his eyes and automatically reached for his neck and yanked out the object. He looked down at it.</p><p>'<em>Tranquilizer</em>'</p><p>The effects seem to kick in faster then he could even imagine. He stumbled into the wall and his vision began to blur.</p><p>Can't breathe.</p><p>He couldn't breathe.</p><p>(Can't breathe.)</p><p>(Keep running.)</p><p>Arata's legs gave way beneath him and he slammed into the wall.</p><p>The world around him began to fade to black. </p><p>——————————————————————</p><p>Haru froze as she heard a thump from another hallway. She contemplated checking it out and then finally gave in. </p><p>She rounded the corner and stopped dead in her tracks. </p><p>For once, she felt her own voice call out, without the help of her puppet. </p><p>"Arata-kun...?" </p><p>She stared at the boy who was laying against the wall, unmoving. </p><p>Haru moved quickly and was immediately by the boys side. </p><p>'<em>Oh...he's just unconscious...</em>' she thought.</p><p>She bit her lip. Something didn't feel right. </p><p>Her suspicions were confirmed when she felt something enter her arm. She looked down and discovered a little dart. </p><p>Haru yanked it out of her arm, but not before the effects began to hit her. She couldn't keep her eyes open anymore.</p><p>‘<em>Am I gonna die? I guess....that's what I get....for talking....</em>'</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>Koharu sat on the bed in her room. She looked down at the book in her hands. She sighed and set it off to the side.</p><p>She cried out as something hit her arm. The historian looked down to see what looked like a tranquilizer dart that was lodged in her arm. </p><p>Panicking, she pulled it out and threw it at the wall, but it was too late as her eyelids grew heavy and she collapsed.</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>Riku and Ren sat in the infirmary with an unconscious Kanon. Ren had a comforting hand in Riku's back.</p><p>Riku smiled as he listened to Ren's words of comfort.</p><p>"Ah-!" Riku yelped.</p><p>Ren moved forwards and yanked the object out of Riku's neck, only for something to enter his own neck.</p><p>Riku's eyes drooped and he reached out for Ren. Before Ren could reach out as well, Riku fell to the floor, unconscious.</p><p>Ren could barely keep his own eyes open. He finally gave into the drowsiness.</p><p>'<em>Please let us be okay.</em>' </p><p>——————————————————————</p><p>Yami leaned against the bookshelf in the library. She was carefully monitoring Kichino. </p><p>The Luckster was staring at one of the bookshelves in mild interest. He reached out to presumably grab something. </p><p>Yami widened her eyes as something entered Kichino's neck. He stumbled backwards and yanked the object out. His legs gave out not a moment later.</p><p>Yami was immediately by his side. She reached out to help him but she was stopped as Kichino grabbed her wrist and yanked her to the side. She spotted another object wizz past the place that she had just been standing in.</p><p>Unfortunately, that object hit Kichino's arm. </p><p>"Run you imbecile!" Kichino hissed.</p><p>Yami shook her head. She couldn't leave him. Especially not after that.</p><p>She grunted as an object hit her neck. Her legs gave out as well and she hit the floor not too soon after.</p><p>——————————————————————</p><p>Atsu sat in his room. He was clicking away at his Monopad. Suddenly, the screen went black.</p><p>The swindler tried to turned device back on. He hissed as something entered his neck. He reached up and yanked the cylindric object out of his neck. </p><p>His Monopad slipped out of his hands and fell to the floor. His body grew weak and he blacked out.</p><p>——————————————————————</p><p>"Please go away. You're very annoying." Yukio said.</p><p>"No way! I wanna see a cool explosion!" Hideshi said, bouncing on the balls of his feet in anticipation.</p><p>"For the last time, I'm only mixing medicine. There will be no explosion." Yukio said firmly.</p><p>They two boys were in the chemistry lab. Yukio had been there on his own and Hideshi had insisted on following him.</p><p>Yukio has been ignoring the boy until he heard a thump behind him. He turned around to find that Hideshi had passed out.</p><p>Yukio was about to approach him when something entered his neck. He quickly yanked it out and looked at it.</p><p>'<em>Tranquilizer?</em>'</p><p>How interesting. He hit the ground as well.</p><p>—————————————————————</p><p>Sara narrowed her eyes and dodged the Tranquilizer dart. She stared at the sniper monokuma that had shot at her. </p><p>The monokuma continued to shoot, but she continuously dodged them.</p><p>As the Ultimate Markwoman, she specialized in hitting her target, not being the target. But that didn't mean she had to sit there and act as a dartboard.</p><p>She froze as she felt cold metal rip through her shoulder. For a second, her vision flashed all white. She slowly turned around looked at the monokuma with a gun. A real gun. She felt something enter her neck.</p><p>'<em>Damnit. That's not fair.</em>'</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>To see the fully pictured story, go read it on my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47. It’s much better there, trust me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Dreams Of Distant Days</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"<strong>Rise and shine you bastards! It's gonna be a fun day!</strong>"</p><p>Arata looked around him, clearly confused. Where was he?</p><p>'<em>The gymnasium?</em>'</p><p>He groaned in pain as he sat up. His head was pounding and he could barely think straight. </p><p>Arata looked at the ground around him. The rest of the students were waking up along with him.</p><p>Only three of them didn't move right away. Kichino, Yuu, Sara.</p><p>"Hey Yuu-chan...Wake up." Arata said, gently shaking the girl that lay not too far away from him.</p><p>Yuu yawned and slowly sat up. She looked around, seeming more out of it than usual.</p><p>"Did I...fall asleep...in the...hallway...again...?" She asked.</p><p>"I think we where all forced into sleep and the bear brought us here." Arata said, looking towards the stage.</p><p>"<strong>You got that right! You guys have been asleep for awhile too! Pretty little liar down there was so easy to take out. She was already already sleeping.</strong>" Monokuma said.</p><p>Arata looked to who he was pointing at. It was Yuu. Huh?</p><p>'<em>Liar?</em>'</p><p>"O-oh my g-go-go-god! I-Ikeda-san is b-ble-bleed-bleeding!!!" Riku exclaimed.</p><p>Arata was immediately on his feet, despite his limbs protesting against it. He was by the markswoman's side. </p><p>There was a bullet wound in her shoulder.</p><p>"<strong>Oopsie. Forgot we did that. She wasn't going down without a fight so we had to take extra measures. It's been two days since you bastards were put down. You might wanna help her out. Upupu~</strong>"</p><p>"Two days!?!?" Hideshi cried.</p><p>"Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't what you did against the rules?"</p><p>Kotori stood at the foot of the stage, below the podium that Monokuma stood on. </p><p>"<strong>What was that, Ace Attorney? Are you turning my own rules against me in my own game?</strong>"</p><p>"You said that you couldn't harm the students unless that harmed you first. You purposely hurt her. You have to help her otherwise you would be breaking your own rules." Kotori said.</p><p>"<strong>Hmmm...Fine. I'll help her you bastards!! Don't think I'll be doing this with all of y'all. Ah...my own students using my rules against me...it fills me with such despair!!</strong>" The bear exclaimed, sounding incredibly sadistic.</p><p>After that, Monokuma jumped off the stage and grabbed Sara's body. He stopped before exiting the gym. </p><p>"<strong>Oh wait. I forgot to tell you. The new motive is in motion. For every four hours, until someone is murdered, the temperature in the school will drop 10 degrees. It is currently 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Good luck!</strong>" </p><p>And with that, he was gone, and so was Sara.</p><p>"Is it really okay to leave her with that thing?" Koharu asked.</p><p>"I have a feeling it won't do anything." Kotori said.</p><p>"Hmm. Does anyone know why Shinobu-san hasn't gotten up yet?" Ren asked.</p><p>Arata looked over at the Luckster. He didn't move.</p><p>"He was shot with the Tranquilizer twice. I'm assuming he will be out longer because of that." Yami explained, looking sad.</p><p>"How do you know he was shot twice?" Hideshi asked.</p><p>"I was in the room when he was. I think he protected me. After he was shot, he pulled me out of the way of the dart. It hit him instead." Yami said.</p><p>Arata looked over at the Ultimate Luckster. </p><p>'<em>Guess he does have a heart.</em>'</p><p>"Kenshin-san. Can you carry him back to his room? I'll come with you." Arata asked.</p><p>Atsu nodded. The worried expression on his face couldn't be more noticeable. Arata approached the taller boy and nudged him slightly.</p><p>"Focus." Arata said.</p><p>Atsu smiled weakly.</p><p>"Alright." The swindler said, reluctantly.</p><p>The tall boy reached down and scooped the Ultimate Luckster into his arms. Arata led him to the door of the gymnasium. He noticed that Kotori was following behind Atsu. </p><p>-</p><p>Once they made it to Kichino's dorm, Atsu set the Luckster down on the bed gently. He couldn't help but notice that the sheets on the bed were missing.</p><p>"Alright, Monokuma said it's been two days since he knocked us all out. That means it's been two days since any of us have had food or water. I suggest that we go to the cafeteria and eat something. If Shinobu-san doesn't wake up soon, let's hope that he doesn't starve or die of dehydration." Kotori said. </p><p>At the mention of food, Arata's stomach began to growl. Atsu's did as well.</p><p>"You're right. I'll bring Shinobu-san back something to eat after." Arata said.</p><p>-</p><p>8:39 pm.</p><p>Arata returned from dinner. He held a plate of food that was wrapped up to prevent heat from escaping. He had a bottle of water under his arm. </p><p>He opened the door to the Ultimate Lucksters room and entered without much hesitation.</p><p>"I suppose it's intelligent to assume that you didn't steal my bedsheets." </p><p>Arata was slightly surprised to see the boy awake.</p><p>'<em>Monokuma must be making it so we can't keep warm.</em>'</p><p>"I brought you food and water. You haven't eaten in two days so please try to replenish your strength. I'll inform you about everything you missed once you're done. Come to my room when you're ready to hear it." Arata said.</p><p>He placed the plate of food down next to Kichino and laid the water bottle down next to it as well. He turned and began to head towards the door.</p><p>"Stop there. Do not make this more difficult then it has to be. I do not wish to talk to you twice in one day, so tell me everything now." Kichino demanded.</p><p>"Alright, your highness. Monokuma presented us with a new motive. He said that every four hours, the temperature in the school will drop 10 degrees. He said this two hours ago so I'm assuming the temperature hasn't dropped yet." Arata explained.</p><p>Kichino ate his food quickly as he listened to Arata. Once he finished what was on the plate, he opened the water bottle and began to drink it greedily. He closed the empty water bottle when he was done.</p><p>"Disgraceful. Hunger should be the last thing I should be thinking about." Kichino grumbled.</p><p>"Well, things happen when you're trapped in a school and forced to kill each other."</p><p>Kichino went silent. He had his eyes closed and his arms crossed.</p><p>"I give my minimal thanks for bringing me food. You will not receive much more from me so leave my room immediately." Kichino said.</p><p>Arata sighed and stood up. He made his way towards the door and exited the rich boy's room. He continued towards the boys dormitory exit and walked out.</p><p>'<em>I have a bit of free time. I guess I'll go see who's around.</em>'</p><p>Arata decided to search around the second floor. It seemed interesting enough.</p><p>-</p><p>Soon enough, Arata found himself on the second floor, looking around. He heard the sound of something hitting something repeatedly. It sounded like it was made of wood. He approached the fancy looking door that led into the rec room and opened it.</p><p>"What's up Arata-san! Wanna join me for a game of pool?" Hideshi asked.</p><p>Arata raised an eyebrow and approached the pool table. He looked at the boy that was holding a pool cue like a katana.</p><p>"That’s not...." Arata trailed off</p><p>————————————————————</p><p>Arata stared at the boy who was currently flailing the pool cue around like a psychopath. </p><p>"Do you even know what you're doing?!" Arata asked, ducking to avoid the spastic wooden object.</p><p>"Nope! Grab a cue, Arata-san!" Hideshi said, hoping up on the pool table.</p><p>"No."</p><p>Hideshi groaned and hoped off of the pool table. He hit the ground with a loud thump and in the process, lost his grip on the pool cue and it hit the floor as well. </p><p>Arata looked down at the other boy in what could only be described as a look of disappointment.</p><p>The survivor went over and picked up the pool cue that lay on the ground. He looked around. After finding its original place, he hung it back in its spot. Looking over at Hideshi, who was now staring at him, Arata raised an eyebrow.</p><p>"Are you ever going to tell anyone your talent? It's been a week or so and you still haven't said anything." Arata said, sitting in a chair near the pool table.</p><p>"No. I like to keep things a mystery. It might be awhile till I trust you enough to tell you my talent." Hideshi said, sitting down in a chair backwards.</p><p>Arata stood up suddenly, causing Hideshi to fall backwards in surprise.</p><p>"You really are a coward, aren't you?" </p><p>Arata's voice sounded anything but pleased.</p><p>Hideshi stared up at the boy in confusion.</p><p>"You hide yourself behind your big words. You try to act all high and mighty. You make it impossible for anyone to like you. But in actuality, you're scared. You keep people away from you because you're afraid that you'll hurt them with your terrible words. You don't want to get close to anyone in fear of losing them." Arata said, slowly approaching the boy.</p><p>Hideshi scuttled backwards as the survivor approached him, menacingly. He gulped when his back hit the wall.</p><p>"You don't like being cornered. You like to win by any means possible. You gain trust only to crush it in front of people. You back down at any sign of resistance. You can't fight back because you're too scared to try." Arata continued.</p><p>Arata stared down at the terrified boy on the ground in front of him. He leaned down and held out his hand. For the first time, he smiled.</p><p>"You should get off the floor."</p><p>Hideshi let out a sigh of relief and took Arata's hand. He was pulled to his feet and then he dusted off the back of his pants.</p><p>"Jeez man. I was sure that you were about to kill me. Don't do stuff like that." Hideshi said.</p><p>Arata shrugged.</p><p>"Sorry." The survivor said.</p><p>"Yeah yeah whatever. I'm gonna go back down to my room. You're really creepy." Hideshi said, leaving the boy alone in the rec room.</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>"<strong>Mm, ahem, this is a school announcement. It is now 10 p.m. As such, it is officially nighttime. Soon the doors to the cafeteria will be locked. Okay then...sweet dreams, everyone! Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite...</strong>"</p><p>Arata looked up at the clock. Guess it's time to leave. He turned and left the rec room. He took his time going down the stairs and making his way to the  boys dormitory. </p><p>Once he was inside his room, he sat down on his bed and slipped his shoes off. He took off his blazer and laid down on the bare mattress. </p><p>'<em>This is going to be an uncomfortable night of sleep.</em>' </p><p>—————————————————————</p><p>
  <em>"Arata! You need to come with us right now! There's no time to explain."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata didn't protest as his 'grandparents' dragged him upstairs to the attic. He failed to notice the gray dust that lay everywhere. He also couldn't figure out why he smelled such a strong smell of something bad. All he knew was that the feeling of panic was overwhelming around him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He could see red and blue lights flashing outside the foggy window. A 5-year old like him couldn't figure out what was happening. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Arata dear, please close your eyes and count to ten. Let's see if you remember what we taught you." His grandmother said, hugging him tightly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her smile looked weird but it was enough to encourage him. He wanted to prove that he had been practicing.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Okay!" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata still couldn't comprehend the severity of the situation. He happily closed his eyes and began to count.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"One..."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The noises outside grew louder. He ignored them and continued to count.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Two..."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The sound of shouting could be heard outside.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Three..."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The front door breaking open. Thumping downstairs. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Four..."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The confused footsteps of people moving back and forth.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Five..."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Grandmother mumbling something under her breath as she hugged Arata close to her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Six..."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The sound of Grandfather striking a match.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Seven..." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Grandfather coming towards the two and wrapping one of his arms around Grandmother. The other arm held the match.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Eight..."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The sounds of voices grew louder and closer to the attic door.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Nine..."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The feeling that something was going to go wrong.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Ten!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The match left his Grandfathers hand and landed in a small puddle of gasoline. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata couldn't remember anything after that. He distantly remembered the feeling of fire eating away at his back. He was knocked out of his 'grandparents' arms. He felt such a huge blast and for a brief moment, he felt like he was flying. It didn't last long. He didn't remember when he hit the ground, he just remembered the pain that shot through his body.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He could hear ringing. Nothing else.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He didn't know how long it was. How long he's been there. He just remembers the blinding sun in his eyes when the wooden boards were removed from over his head. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata was pretty sure he was dead. After all, people who were alive didn't cough up ashes. They didn't taste nothing but smoke. Right?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His hearing returned to him after who knows how long.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"...Alive.....h.....ive!......ge.....over......" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He couldn't make out much but a bunch of garbled words. He didn't even know what half of them even meant.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"He...id.....kid!....can y...hea...me?!...it's gonna be okay....everything is gonna be okay..."</em>
</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>Arata jerked upwards in his bed. His body was covered in a layer of sweat. He felt tears spilling down his pale cheeks. He forced himself out of the bed.</p><p>The second he stood up, he dropped to his knees with his head in his hands, sobbing quietly.</p><p>'<em>Why won't these memories go away? I need to forget about them. They aren't my real family. They killed my parents. I shouldn't feel bad for them.</em>'</p><p>Arata continued to cry for a few minutes. Once all of his energy had been depleted, when he shakily stood up. He looked over at the clock.</p><p>3:26 am.</p><p>'<em>The morning announcement hasn't even gone off.</em>'</p><p>Arata wiped his eyes. He looked down at the ground. He took a moment to let his heart stop pounding wildly. </p><p>Without thinking clearly, he ran towards the door and exited his dorm room in a hurry. Not knowing where he was headed to, Arata just ran out of the boys dormitory. </p><p>The survivor only stopped running when he reached the entrance of the school. He looked back to where he had come from then approached the metal seal.</p><p>"Can Arata-kun not sleep either?"</p><p>Arata whipped around. His body was tense and he looked about ready to strangle whoever just snuck up on him.</p><p>However, when he was met with Haru's lifeless eyes, he relaxed and returned his gaze to the door.</p><p>"What are you doing?" Arata said.</p><p>"We should be the ones asking that, Arata-kun." The puppet said.</p><p>Arata sighed and leaned against a wall, glancing towards the metal door.</p><p>"Are you okay? You look like you were crying. You can talk to us if you want." The puppet said.</p><p>Arata froze. He could clearly see that Haru wasn't looking at him right now, so how did she know what he looked like?</p><p>"It's nothing. I just couldn't sleep." Arata mumbled.</p><p>"Oh, so you had a nightmare. It's okay. Haru-chan has them all the time. You shouldn't let them get to you." The puppet reassured him.</p><p>"That's not-....never mind..." Arata said.</p><p>The puppet remained quiet for a moment before opening its mouth.</p><p>"The temperature in the school has dropped to 40 degrees Fahrenheit." The puppet explained.</p><p>Arata observed the red-eyed girl for a moment. She was still looking down at the ground. Still no emotions.</p><p>"How do you know?" </p><p>There was a long pause. For a second, he could've sworn that Haru moved slightly.</p><p>"Haru-chan has been keeping track since it was announced. She's very efficient!" </p><p>Arata didn't press further. Mostly because he didn't care to.</p><p>"I wonder how this will play out if no one kills someone. What will Monokuma do? He wants us to kill each other, not die of hypothermia." Arata pondered.</p><p>The puppet on Haru's hand seemed to look...exasperated? That was odd. Did he say something wrong?</p><p>"You ok-"</p><p>"It's alright Arata-kun. Just don't say such somber things around Haru-chan too much. She doesn't like hearing about that stuff." The puppet warned.</p><p>"Alright." Arata said.</p><p>The puppet cocked its head to the side.</p><p>"Something on your mind? You seem to be staring at Haru-chan a lot." The puppet pointed out.</p><p>Once again, Haru wasn't even looking at him when the puppet said that.</p><p>"Was it? I didn't realize..." he trailed off.</p><p>That's when Haru did something strange. She lifted her head so that she was staring directly at Arata, which he found incredibly unnerving. She tilted her head to the side.</p><p>"Hm? Oh, Haru-chan wants to know if you will walk her back to her room!" The puppet said, like it had just translated for him.</p><p>Arata felt like he didn't have a reason to object. Maybe this could get his mind off of things. </p><p>"...okay..." </p><p>"Hurray! Let's go, Arata-chan!" The puppet said. </p><p>He watched as Haru lowered her head towards the ground, hiding the top half of her face once more.</p><p>He began to move forwards to take he lead but he was stopped when Haru grabbed his hand with her free hand.</p><p>Before he had a chance to ask what she was doing, he got an answer.</p><p>"Haru-chan gets lost very easily since she is almost always looking at the ground! We hope you don't mind if she holds your hand."</p><p>Arata was about to protest but he didn't feel like it would be worth it. </p><p>"Fine."</p><p>They began walking toward the girls dormitory with Arata in the lead. They both didn't say anything to the other during the rest of the time.</p><p>When they reached Haru's room, he let go of her hand. </p><p>"We're here." He stated.</p><p>The puppet perked up happily.</p><p>"Thanks again, Arata-chan! We appreciate it! We hope you can sleep better now!" The puppet said.</p><p>Haru entered her room and quietly shut the door behind her.</p><p>Arata remained staring at the girls nameplate before realization hit him that he could leave now.</p><p>-</p><p>Once he made it back to his room, he laid down in his bed. He still felt uncomfortable from the fact that the mattress was stripped bare. </p><p>But still, he fell back asleep with no further problems.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>What it see a better version of this story? Go read it on my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47. It will be worth it. You don’t even need an account to read it.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Listen Closely To The Songs I Play</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"<strong>Good morning, everyone! It is now 7 a.m. and nighttime is officially over! Time to rise and shine! Get ready to greet another beee-yutiful day!</strong>" </p><p>Arata wanted to scream as he heard the morning announcement. He did notice that the temperature did seem much more colder.</p><p>'<em>It's 7 o'clock in the morning so that means another 10 degrees has dropped since I've talked to Haru-chan last night.</em>'</p><p>Without realizing it, he had begun to refer to the girl with a different honorific.</p><p>He practically fell out of his bed. </p><p>Arata was a type of person that appreciates cold weather. He was incredibly resilient to the cold because of his past.</p><p>'<em>Welp, that's when happens when you're submerged in ice water for an entire day</em>’</p><p>He growled slightly as he tugged on his blazer. He slipped into his shoes and was immediately out the door.</p><p>Ren was the first person to greet him that morning.</p><p>"Oh! How are you Katsune-kun? I hope you slept well." The botanist said.</p><p>Arata smiled weakly at the boy.</p><p>"Call me Arata." Arata said.</p><p>Riku stood a foot or two behind Ren. He was staring down at his Monopad, diligently tapping away at the screen. He seemed to be hyper focused on whatever was on the screen.</p><p>"Riku-san. What are you doing?" Arata asked.</p><p>The second the words left his mouth, he immediately knew he had said something wrong; Simply by the looks of the distress that the two boys gave him. </p><p>Ren was the first to act. He took something out of his pocket and handed it Arata. The botanist smiled at him, although it seemed forced.</p><p>Arata hesitantly reached out to grab the thing. He looked down at the folded piece of paper that was in his hands. He glanced up before slowly unfolding it. He made sure to keep it out of the view of the security camera. He read the note to himself:</p><p>
  <em>Riku is currently trying to override the Monopad. He said he's had experience with computers and other devices before so please trust him. Don't say this out loud. The camera's are always watching.</em>
</p><p>Arata folded the note back up and handed it over to Ren. The botanist grabbed the paper and slipped it into his pocket.</p><p>"Let's go to the cafeteria." Arata stated rather than asking.</p><p>Ren smiled happily and nodded. Riku tucked his Monopad into his vest and nodded as well.</p><p>—————————————————————</p><p>"<strong>Upupupu~...it's getting a bit chilly huh?</strong>"</p><p>Everyone in the cafeteria groaned at the sound of Monokuma's voice. </p><p>"<strong>I'm glad you're all happy to see me! Now, when does the bloodshed start again? I'm bored as all hell!</strong>"</p><p>"Silence your filthy words, demon! We will not bow to your demands!? Your treachery will not fool us into committing unclean acts!" Yami shouted, thrusting her hand towards the mechanical animal.</p><p>"Huh? But it worked last time, didn't it? It caused both Sora-san and Theo-san to commit murder like a bunch of psychopaths." </p><p>Everyone turned their gazes towards Hideshi. They each expressed a similar annoyed look.</p><p>"Takara-san was just worried about her family. And Aurora-san simply acted out of self defense. They both never would have done that if they weren't driven to it." Koharu defended. </p><p>Arata was thankful that the Historian spoke up. </p><p>"Still, they failed, and now they're dead. It's probably not gonna be long before history repeats itself." Sara said.</p><p>The markswoman had showed up to breakfast, looking a bit pale but nonetheless, she seemed to be fine.</p><p>"You don't know for sure. The bear could simply give up in his attempt to make us kill each other." Yukio pointed out.</p><p>"<strong>Give up? Oh that's priceless. I'll wait as long as I have to. If you don't kill each other, then the cold will definitely drive you mad!</strong>"</p><p>"....you don't know a thing about mad..."</p><p>"<strong>What's was that, Facemask?</strong>"</p><p>Yukio was silent.</p><p>"I will not allow another murder to happen under my watch! I was born to save people! I will not let you all be clouded by sin!" Yami exclaimed, clenching her fist.</p><p>"And how are you gonna do that, huh? What if one of us is planning to murder already? We are Ultimates after all, which means we're the best of the best." Hideshi said, fiddling with his fork.</p><p>"Actually, it means we are the best of the best at what we do, specifically. Not all of us are probably masked murderers so we don't know much about efficient ways to kill someone." Kotori pointed out.</p><p>"What about you, Ultimate Investigator? I bet you've seen a lot of dead bodies in your life. And you too Sara-san. After all, You are the Ultimate Markswoman. You specialize in always hitting your target." Hideshi said.</p><p>The mystery boy turned to Sara and made and gun with his fingers and pointed it at her. </p><p>"Bang!"</p><p>Sara stood up so suddenly that it caused Hideshi to fall backwards in surprise. </p><p>Arata noticed that Sara was trembling. A shadow fell over her eyes and she was faced away from the rest of the group.  </p><p>The entire cafeteria was filled with silence. One could barely even hear anyone breathing. It's like they were afraid to.</p><p>"<strong>Upupu~...looks like things are just getting started</strong>"</p><p>After that, the Monokuma disappeared to god knows where.</p><p>Sara said nothing else as she turned and walked out of the room. For a whole two minutes, nobody said anything. Then..</p><p>
  <em>*Smash*</em>
</p><p>Everyone turned towards the noise, only to discover that Kanon was standing over a broken plate, in a mock-ninja stance. It was almost as of the plate had spooked her and that stance was her natural reflex.</p><p>A gentle laugh broke the silence. Surprisingly, it was Yuu. Her voice was weak but she still laughed nonetheless.</p><p>Arata couldn't help but begin to chuckle as well. Soon, the cafeteria erupted in laughter and the tension slow dissipated. </p><p>Arata spotted Kichino out of the corner of his eye.</p><p>'<em>Of course he's not even smiling.</em>'</p><p>————————————————————————</p><p>8:47 am.</p><p>Arata looked up from his Monopad and looked around.</p><p>'<em>Guess I have some free time on my hands.</em>'</p><p>Arata was walking past the library and when something caught his eye. Specifically, someone.</p><p>And that someone was Koharu. She was standing on one of the wooden chairs, just staring at one of the cameras that were in the corner of the room. </p><p>"Hey." Arata called out.</p><p>Koharu yelped and the chair beneath her wobbled, causing her to fall backwards. She would have hit the ground if it weren't for Arata's fast reflexes.</p><p>He caught her in a bridal style position. She stared up at him in silence before speaking up.</p><p>"O-Okay Romeo. That's enough. Please put me down now." </p><p>Arata nodded and slowly set the girl onto her feet.</p><p>"That was way too convenient." Koharu mumbled.</p><p>"Yeah. You're welcome." Arata said, sarcastically.</p><p>He rolled his shoulder back, because catching an entire person wasn't exactly effortless.</p><p>"Anyways, what were you even doing? You know Monokuma has a rule that you can't tamper or destroy the camera's." Arata said.</p><p>"I wasn't doing either of those! I was just observing it. You can't blame me for being interested." Koharu countered.</p><p>"Still. We don't know what that bear is fully capable of." Arata said.</p><p>He grabbed the chair that Koharu had put under the spot where the camera hung. He pulled it back to its original place.</p><p>"Wanna talk?" </p><p>The historian looked hesitant before she nodded and sat down in one of the chairs.</p><p>————————————————————————</p><p>Arata stared at the girl rambling on in mild interest. </p><p>History was one of his sore subjects. It always talked about people being liberated and saved and celebrating.</p><p>'<em>But nobody saved me.</em>'</p><p>"...Arata-san? Are you even listening? Am I boring again?" Koharu asked.</p><p>Arata shook his head.</p><p>"No, I just spaced out for a moment. You were saying something about Germany, Right?"</p><p>Once again, Koharu's eyes lit up again. She continued her discussion.</p><p>"So Hitler then put this law in place that said that people who abused animals would be punished, probably by death, which is really mellow considering he slaughtered thousands of people in order to get to his utopia world. Blonde hair and blue eyes. Which was strange because he had black hair and a mustache that made him look like a Super Mario character and....Arata-san?" </p><p>Koharu trailed off as she noticed that Arata had closed his eyes. </p><p>'<em>Oh my. I was too boring again. Wasn't I?</em>' She thought.</p><p>"If you're wondering, I'm not asleep. I was just resting my eyes. Did Hitler actually look like Mario?" Arata asked, a small hint of a smirk on his face.</p><p>Koharu was hit with a wave of relief. Arata watched as the historian got up and began to scan the shelves in the library. </p><p>He was in awe of how quickly her hands moved along the shelves. A moment or two later, she pulled out a dusty brown book and ended up stirring up a dust cloud. </p><p>Koharu sneezed and coughed as she wafted the dust cloud away from her. She opened the book hastily and began flipping through the pages at an alarming speed.</p><p>Her eyes lit up and she returned to Arata's side. She held out the book to him and pointed to a picture of what Arata assumed to be Adolf Hitler.</p><p>"Y'know, he kinda looks like Shinobu-san. They've both got that 'I'd rather be anywhere but here' look." Arata said, chuckling stiffly. </p><p>Koharu burst into a fit of giggling and she closed the book. She placed it down on the table.</p><p>"If he heard you say that, he would probably have you lynched." Koharu said.</p><p>Arata nodded his head.</p><p>"I was almost hung once." Arata said, simply.</p><p>It was clear that she was taken aback due to the look of surprise on her face. Then it quickly faded and was replaced with interest.</p><p>"Oh! Me too! I was visiting a very old village when I was younger! I was going with my mother, Who was an adventurer. I didn't know about their customs and apparently, I was a troublesome child. I did something that angered them and they lifted me out of my bed when I was sleeping one night and almost hung me. My mother stopped them. She's really great at persuasion."</p><p>Koharu told the story like it was another one of her history tales.</p><p>"Your mother sounds cool. Adventuring sounds like a hell of a good time." Arata said.</p><p>"She...was a good adventurer. On one of her expeditions, she was captured and tortured nearly to death. She stopped adventuring after that. She's...not right in the head anymore. I had to put her into a mental institution after she killed our dog by accident. She thought it was trying to kill her but it was just playing..." Koharu trailed off.</p><p>Arata looked down at his hands. </p><p>"I'm sorry to hear about that.." </p><p>"Oh! Did I make it sad again? Oh my...why do I always do this..." Koharu murmured.</p><p>"No, it's fine." </p><p>"If you say so..." she mumbled.</p><p>"I won't tell anyone else, Okay?" Arata said.</p><p>Koharu smiled at the boy.</p><p>"Thanks." Koharu said.</p><p>He nodded.</p><p>————————————————————</p><p>12:20 pm.</p><p>Arata shivered. It was definitely colder then before.</p><p>'<em>If I'm right, then it should be 20 degrees Fahrenheit. In two hours, it'll go down another 10 degrees.</em>'</p><p>He continued to wander into the hallway.</p><p>Arata didn't know what everyone's tolerances for the cold were, but he was sure they weren't as high as his. </p><p>He looked towards the steps and decided to make his way up to the next floor.</p><p>————————————————————————</p><p>Arata was soon aware of a very distinctive voice when he was walking by the chemistry lab. </p><p>He approached the metal door and turned the handle. He opened the door quickly. </p><p>"Close the door!" Yukio shouted.</p><p>Arata slipped into the room and closed the door behind him. He took in the scene that was unfolding before him.</p><p>Yukio was standing near one of the counters with multiple vials in hand. He was pouring them into a beaker, which looked about ready to blow up.</p><p>"What are you doing?" Arata shouted.</p><p>Yukio broke into a fit of maniacal laughter. Great</p><p>"What I'm best at!!!" The Mad Scientist shouted.</p><p>————————————————————————</p><p>"Hey! Seriously! What are you trying to do?!" Arata shouted again.</p><p>"I am trying to make a chemical healing system! It might cause a few side effects but it shall keep us warm!" Yukio exclaimed.</p><p>Arata watched as the boy poured in another vial of a mystery substance into the beaker. The liquid inside the beaker began to bubble up than it began to overflow. </p><p>After a moment, the liquid settled. Yukio picked up the beaker and poured a bit of the liquid onto the counter. </p><p>The liquid simply sat there before it began to burn right through the metal countertop.</p><p>"Hmm. I think I made it too strong. I should rethink this." Yukio said, putting the beaker into one of the cabinets.</p><p>"You got that stuff on your mask." Arata said, pointing at the liquid on the boys mask.</p><p>The survivor pointed out the stain on the other boy's face mask. </p><p>Yukio widened his eyes and yanked the mask off of his face. </p><p>"Thank you for telling me. If I had continued to breathe that, I would have died." The mad scientist said.</p><p>Arata would have said it was no problem, but currently, his eyes were focused on where Yukio's mask once was. Arata held nothing but horror on his face.</p><p>The boy was missing a huge portion of the side of his mouth and cheek. It showed his entire two rows of teeth and a few stray tendons that hadn’t disconnected. The exposed parts were completely black, like they were rotten</p><p>Yukio seemed to take notice of his facial expression. He cried out and began to scurry around the lab. Eventually, he found a box of facial masks that looked similar to his own. He hastily put it on his face.</p><p>"Whoa....are you....okay?" Arata asked, slowly.</p><p>Yukio didn't answer him for a long moment. His eyes were downcast and somber. </p><p>"I'm sorry you had to see that. I know my face is horrific to look at." Yukio said, pulling the rim of his cap over his eyes.</p><p>Arata shook his head.</p><p>"Don't be sorry. I was just surprised by it. That's all." The survivor said.</p><p>Yukio still remained facing away from the other boy. He placed the box of facial masks back in the cabinet and then stood still.</p><p>Arata sighed.</p><p>"I'm not gonna press, okay? I'll just pretend I never saw that and I won't bring it up anymore." Arata offered.</p><p>Yukio remained silent. The only confirmation that Yukio gave was the gentle nod of his head.</p><p>—————————————————————</p><p>'<em>Alright. It's 2 o'clock pm. It is 10 degrees Fahrenheit.</em>'</p><p>Arata proceeded to make his way down the stairs. He shivered at the temperature. Strange. He didn't feel cold. </p><p>The tips of his fingers were just staring to grow numb. He clenched his teeth.</p><p>Arata began to search around the first floor, looking for anyone really. </p><p>He found himself in the cafeteria. Not surprisingly, it was empty. The survivor looked towards the indoor garden and noticed someone moving inside.</p><p>Arata walked towards the glass door and entered the indoor garden. He wasn't surprised to see who was in there. </p><p>He breathed out a sigh. He noted that he could see his breath in the air. </p><p>"Ren-san." Arata greeted.</p><p>Ren looked up and smiled at the other boy. </p><p>"Hello Arata-kun. I'm in the middle of something. But you are welcome to join in my activities." Ren offered.</p><p>"Okay." Arata replied.</p><p>————————————————————</p><p>"So what are you doing exactly?" Arata asked.</p><p>He watched as the botanist moved back and forth between many different plants. He would examine them then move onto the next.</p><p>"I'm trying to estimate how long these plants will survive in this cold. I'm worried that they won't make it." Ren explained.</p><p>Ren moved towards a red-orange plant and gently cradled one of the flowers.</p><p>"This is a hibiscus flower. They are very sensitive to the cold. I assume that it won't take long for it to die in this temperature." Ren explained.</p><p>Arata moved towards the other boy and stood behind him. He took a step back as Ren continued to move about.</p><p>He approached another plant that had many purple flowers scattered around the surface.</p><p>"This is an ageratum plant. This is one of the most cold-sensitive plants that we know today. I have no doubt that this will be the first to go." Ren said, sighing.</p><p>Arata stared at the plant. The flowers petals looked horribly wrinkled and the entire plant looked like it was weak.</p><p>"I've never heard you be this negative about anything." Arata noted.</p><p>The survivor approached Ren's side once more.</p><p>"I think the cold is starting to get to me a bit. But I'm sure that it won't take our lives. I think the bear will realize that we'll refuse to kill each other, and then he will give us warmth again." Ren said, oddly happily.</p><p>Arata frowned.</p><p>"Arata-kun, I've been meaning to ask you something." Ren said, suddenly.</p><p>Arata tipped his head to the side.</p><p>"Go for it."</p><p>"What is your favorite type of flower?" Ren asked.</p><p>"My favorite flower? I don't really know much about any of them." Arata admitted.</p><p>"Well, If I had to choose one for you, I'd say Helichrysum arenarium or more commonly know as The Everlasting Flower." Ren said.</p><p>Arata looked confused. Ren beckoned him to follow. He continued after the botanist and they approached a flower.</p><p>"It's very special. The meaning behind it is 'remembrances'. It's normally favored by those who have lost someone dear to them." Ren explained, placing his hand over his heart.</p><p>"Oh..." Arata said, looking down.</p><p>Ren smiled.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>To read the fully pictured story, go read it on my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47. It’ll be worth it. I promise.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Do You Ever Get That Feeling Of Deja Vu?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Arata entered the cafeteria with Ren once the clock turned 7.</p><p>He couldn't help but take notice that all the students were shivering. He looked to the side and noticed that Haru was trembling as well. Instead of holding up her puppet like usual, she was hugging her arms to her sides. </p><p>Arata felt his heart tighten. He knew these people didn't go through what he did. They had low tolerance to the cold. </p><p>The survivor spotted Kichino out of the corner of his eye. The Luckster was shivering ever so slightly. </p><p>'<em>Please let the food be warm.</em>' </p><p>Nope. The food was all ice cold. This caused many people to lose their appetite. </p><p>Arata mentally screamed. His body tensed up as he felt someone grab his hand.</p><p>He looked over and soon figured out that it was Yuu. She was holding his hand like a lost child. He could feel that the small girl was shaking pretty badly. She looked like she hadn't slept in awhile.</p><p>"Are you alright, Yuu-chan?" Arata asked softly.</p><p>Yuu shook her head. Arata could only watch as tears fell from her eyes. He immediately pulled the smaller girl into a hug. She clung to him tightly.</p><p>He could feel Yuu trembling in his arms. He honestly didn't know what to do. </p><p>Arata simply copied what he used to do for the kids at his orphanage. They used to always have nightmares and they would come to him to talk about them. He would always be willing listen to them, even if he was tired.</p><p>"I-it's..cold...i...i....c-can't...sleep..any..more.." The Ultimate Daydreamer mumbled.</p><p>Arata sighed and pulled away from the smaller girl. He slid off his blazer and handed it to Yuu.</p><p>"Here." Arata offered.</p><p>Yuu stared at the vibrant dark blue blazer for a moment. She reached out and took the article. She wrapped it around her shoulders.</p><p>She looked up at Arata and smiled thankfully.</p><p>"Thank you...Arata...-san..." Yuu said. </p><p>The second that she finished talking, she collapsed on the ground, asleep.</p><p>Arata was quick to catch the small girl. He hoisted her in his arms, bridal style, then gently sat the girl down in one of the chairs.</p><p>He turned to go get something to eat. He froze as he noticed that everyone was staring at him. </p><p>"Um...hi?"</p><p>"How come you get all the chicks?! I'm more attractive!" Hideshi whined.</p><p>"Maybe it's because you're a nuisance to society." Yukio mumbled under his breath.</p><p>"Hey!! I'm sexy as fuck!" Hideshi exclaimed.</p><p>"Look in a mirror, Hide-chan! You're about as attractive as a hedgehog!" Kanon shouted.</p><p>Arata grabbed a water bottle off of the table in the back of the cafeteria.</p><p>Arata looked over to where most of the students were grouped together. He could see a few people we're leaving. </p><p>Riku and Ren were heading into the indoor garden.</p><p>Kichino was most likely going back to his room. </p><p>Yukio was attempting to escape from Hideshi, who was clinging to his leg like a lost dog. It was really hard to tell what was really happening though.</p><p>"A-Arata-chan? How are you doing?" Haru's puppet asked from behind him.</p><p>Arata turned to look at the girl. The puppet was peeking out of her crossed arms. </p><p>"I'm fine. What about you?" </p><p>Haru looked up at the survivor with her piercing red eyes. He felt himself stiffen. Then, she lowered her head once more.</p><p>"W-We have to go. Haru-chan is cold. I am too." The puppet said.</p><p>Haru then turned and exited the cafeteria swiftly.</p><p>Arata didn't try to stop her.</p><p>"Hey Katsune-san. Are you okay? You're kinda looking at the door like it just exploded." Kotori said.</p><p>Arata snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the investigator. She was smiling back at him in a friendly way. However the slight tremble of her body didn't go unnoticed to him. She had her arms to her sides.</p><p>"I'm fine. Why is everyone asking that?" Arata asked.</p><p>Arata watched as Kotori's eyes scanned him. She looked as if she were analyzing his posture and emotions.</p><p>"No. You're scared. You're afraid that if another murder doesn't occur, then everyone will die from the cold." Kotori said, suddenly.</p><p>Arata narrowed his eyes at her for a moment with a look of suspicion in his gray eyes. Did she get all of that from just looking at him?</p><p>"They don't call you the Ultimate Investigator for nothing." Arata said.</p><p>Kotori's face became somber as she looked at the survivor. Arata noticed this and immediately spoke up again.</p><p>"Did I...say something wrong?" </p><p>Kotori raised an eyebrow at the boy. She couldn't help but smile.</p><p>"Nah, don't worry about it. You look kinda cute when you're like that though." The investigator said, giggling.</p><p>Arata looked slightly confused by what the girl had said to him. Why was she complimenting him right now?</p><p>"Um...thanks?"</p><p>Absentmindedly, he looked back at Yuu, who was still alseep at the table. Making his way over to the fragile girl, he scooped her up in his arms and turned back towards Kotori. </p><p>"I'm gonna drop her off at her room." Arata said.</p><p>"I'll come with you." Kotori said.</p><p>With that, Arata turned and began to head out of the cafeteria. The girl was following Arata from a reasonable distance away.</p><p>"Why do you think she falls asleep so much?" Kotori asked out of the blue.</p><p>Arata took a moment to think about the question. </p><p>"I just thought it was because she was narcoleptic. It's where you can't control when you fall alseep. It makes sense because I find her passed out in places other than her room." Arata explained.</p><p>They soon entered the girls dormitory and Arata headed towards Yuu's door. He was surprised when Kotori held the door open for him. He entered the daydreamers room then set her down on the bare mattress. After that, he turned and left the room.</p><p>"I assume that to be the case, but I feel like she's hiding something. When the motive was given, did you hear what Monokuma called her?" Kotori asked.</p><p>Arata thought back to when he awoke after being tranquilized. </p><p>'<em>Wait. I remember.</em>'</p><p>"He called her 'Pretty Little Liar' right?" </p><p>Kotori nodded. She brought her finger to her chin, in a thinking way. She seemed to be trying to put two and two together.</p><p>"Maybe we should stop talking about it. I don't like talking about people behind their backs." Arata interrupted before Kotori could continue.</p><p>Kotori stared at the boy for a long moment before she broke out laughing.</p><p>"You do realize that I'm an investigator right? Talking about people behind their backs is literally part of the contract." Kotori giggled.</p><p>Arata rolled his eyes and a smirk danced on his face.</p><p>——————————————————————</p><p>"Alright Riku-san. You said you found something on the schools database. What was it?"</p><p>The two boys had decided to meet in the boys locker room, next to the pool, since it didn't have any cameras in it. </p><p>Riku pushes his glasses up further and began tapping the screen of his Monopad. Arata took note of how the assistant was shivering pretty badly.</p><p>"I-i was s-sear-searching through t-the files in-in Soaring Heights d-data-database when I-i-i came across t-t-these pictures." Riku explained.</p><p>Riku turned his Monopad around so Arata could see the screen. The survivor widened his eyes at the image that was on the device. </p><p>It was a picture of Arata and Theo. Theo had his arm thrown over Arata's shoulder. They were both smiling like best friends.</p><p>"...what? When was this taken? I don't remember this." Arata barely managed to say. </p><p>Riku had a worried look on his face as he watched Arata's reaction. He slowly pulled the Monopad away and looked it over once more.</p><p>"I-it doesn't s-sa-say when the pic-picture was taken. I-I-It's just in a-a blank fi-le. Along wi-with...t-this one...." Riku said.</p><p>The taller boy showed Arata the Monopad once more. There was a different picture on it then before.</p><p>There were three people in the photo. It was Kanon on the right, Riku on the left, and Ren in the middle. Kanon had her arms wrapped around both boys as they smiled at the camera.</p><p>Arata stared at the picture in utter confusion. </p><p>"I'm j-just like yo-you...I don't r-remember taking th-this picture. I-I'm not pa-partic-particularly close to-to Kazuno-san. I a-asked Kazuhiko-kun about i-it and h-he said he d-d-d-didn't r-remember either. I tried t-to ask Kazuno-san abo-about this b-but she sa-said, very loudly, th-that she d-didn't know any-anything." Riku said.</p><p>Arata stared at the pictures with a blank face. He was looking at the way the three people in the picture were looking at each other. They looked like they were the best of friends, but they couldn't possibly be more different from each other.</p><p>"<strong>Mm, ahem, this is a school announcement. It is now 10 p.m. As such, it is officially nighttime. Soon the doors to the cafeteria will be locked. Okay then...sweet dreams, everyone! Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite...</strong>" </p><p>Arata looked up at the clock on the wall.</p><p>'<em>Wow. That's was fast.</em>' </p><p>Riku shut off his Monopad and made his way out of the locker room, then out of the pool area. Arata was following him closely.</p><p>"We can talk about it later. I don't know your tolerance to the cold, but I wish you luck." Arata said as they entered the boys dormitory.</p><p>Riku nodded and turned towards his own room. Not surprisingly, Ren stood in front of Riku's room, presumably have been waiting for the assistant. After that, the two disappeared into Riku's room.</p><p>Arata watched tore his gaze away from Riku's door and then entered his own room. He found himself shivering. It was probably below zero. He didn't know anyone that could sleep in this temperature.</p><p>He flopped down on his bed and closed his eyes. Slowly, he drifted off to sleep.</p><p>————————————————————————</p><p>
  <em>"Young king! I have a favor to request of you!" Theo exclaimed.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata watched as the taller boy trotted up to him in the hallway. He had just recently made friends with the Ultimate Thespian. Although he was still questioning why.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"What is it? Didn't you say you had to practice for a play?" Arata questioned.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Theo scratched the back of his neck nervously. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"That was the issue that I wished to confide with you about, young king." Theo said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The thespian still hit a pose with every sentence, as usual.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Just tell me what you want." Arata said, firmly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Theo's entire posture seemed to grow a lot more relaxed and panicked at the same time.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Come on Arata-dono! You're the only one that remembers the lines! Our lead role just transferred out! We need you!" Theo said quickly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata stared at Theo with an unchanged expression.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"....fine..." Arata caved.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Please! I beg you! Please reconsid-....did you say yes?" Theo asked in disbelief.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata clenched his teeth in annoyance. Was it really that big of a deal?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I did. It'll get you off my back, then I'll do it." Arata confirmed.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Theo's face lit up in triumph. He stood up straight. His smiling was sickeningly proud. Of course, the Ultimate Thespian caught the eyes of a few swooning girl, (and a couple boys too.)</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Everyone in the school was practically in love with Theo Aurora, the Ultimate Thespian. Arata was 70% sure that someone had made a fan club dedicated to the Ultimate Thespian.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Before Arata knew what was happening, he was scooped into Theo's arms and thrown over his shoulder. Then, Theo began to speed walk towards the gymnasium, where the stage was. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata found it completely useless to try fighting against the taller boy. It would just end up with another concussion.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"What about the costume, Theo-san?" Arata asked.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Worry not! We have Haru-dono working on it now! We did not know if you were going to agree or not so we just hoped that you did." Theo said, smiling.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The two entered the gymnasium.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Makayu-san? You mean the ventriloquist? How did you get her?" Arata asked.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Koharu-dono managed to convince her to create a few of the costumes since she's really skilled in stitching and stuff." Theo responded. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>After that, Arata was set down on the stage. He turned and looked up at the catwalk that was above the stage. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kanon stood there, practically swinging back and forth on it like she was on a playground.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Kanon! Please get down! You're gonna hurt yourself!" Sora called out.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata narrowed his eyes at the students that moved around the stage. He suddenly became aware of something crucial. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The talking around him became muffled and distant. The survivor turned towards Theo.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"...you're....dead..." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>After those words left his mouth, Theo disappeared. Arata turned around and looked in horror as he saw Theo's broken and battered body dangling by strings like a puppet.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Next to the Ultimate Thespian's body, Sora Takara stood there. There was a large bloody hole in her stomach. She was staring at Arata with large and bloodshot eyes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Arata...why didn't you save me?" Sora's voice echoed throughout the dark stage.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata looked over to see that Theo's head had raised and was now looking at him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Why didn't you save us?" Theo asked.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata felt like he was gonna be sick. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I just wanted to see my family." Sora said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"We wanted be friends." Theo said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You let us die."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You should have died instead of us." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Why aren't you dead? Is it because you refuse to die? Or is it because you think that's what we would want."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Wake up.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Why don't you join us? We will welcome you anytime."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Wake up..</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You can finally join your family."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Wake up...</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Come with us!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Wake up!</em>
</p><p>————————————————————————</p><p>Arata's eyes shot wide open and his entire body jerked forwards.</p><p>He found it hard to move his face. The survivor sat up and brought his hand to cheeks. He was surprised to find that he was crying. Not just that, but his tears froze to his face. </p><p>Arata quickly scraped them off his face. He didn't want to think about his dream. At least...not yet. He looked over at the clock on his wall.</p><p>'<em>It's only 11:40!? I thought it was a lot later.</em>'</p><p>Arata got to his feet. He looked down at his trembling legs. He bared his teeth. It was annoying.</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>'<em>Is that...the piano?</em>'</p><p>Arata was standing next to the music room on the second floor. He reached out and turned the handle to the music room door. The door swung open.</p><p>Arata stared at the girl that was effortlessly playing the large instrument. Kanon Kazuno.</p><p>"<em>..Like a river flows surely to the sea</em></p><p>
  <em>Darling, so it goes</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Some things are meant to be</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Take my hand, take my whole life too</em>
</p><p>
  <em>For I can't help falling in love with you.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>For I can't help...falling in love...with...</em>
</p><p><em>You...</em>"</p><p>Arata didn't understand the lyrics to the song, but he felt like a huge weight had been lifted off him. When the song ended, he found himself locking eyes with the Ultimate DJ.</p><p>"What's up Arata-chan?" Kanon greeted.</p><p>Arata slowly approached the girl. He stopped when he stood a few feet away from her.</p><p>"You're really good at that. I was surprised cause it sounded really classical. You're the Ultimate DJ right?" Arata questioned.</p><p>Kanon laughed awkwardly and unconsciously tapped a few keys on the piano.</p><p>"Honestly, classical music just puts me at ease. But don't get me wrong, my DJ skills aren't so tame. I was thrown out of a club once for being 'too enthusiastic' apparently" Kanon recalled.</p><p>A smirk ghosted over his lips.</p><p>"What song was that? It sounded like it was in English again." Arata said.</p><p>Kanon nodded enthusiastically and slammed her hands down on the piano keys, causing a horrible sound. Arata cringed as he heard it.</p><p>"It's another really really old English song. I don't even know if Americans know about it anymore. It's called 'I can't help falling in love with you'. I forgot who wrote it." Kanon said.</p><p>Arata perked up as he heard the name. He was getting that same feeling again.</p><p>D̶o̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶e̶v̶e̶r̶ ̶g̶e̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶f̶e̶e̶l̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶D̶e̶j̶a̶ ̶V̶u̶?</p><p>"This might be a bit personal to ask, but are you in love with anyone?" Arata asked.</p><p>Kanon paused, seemingly thrown off by the question. </p><p>"No. I'm not really looking for love. I'm already in love with music!" Kanon exclaimed.</p><p>This girl was so upbeat. He did, however, notice that she was shivering too. </p><p>"Alright. I'm gonna head back to my room. Stay safe." Arata said.</p><p>The survivor turned and left the music room. He began to make his way down the nearest staircase. </p><p>Once he reached the bottom of the steps, he jerked back as he almost ran into someone. </p><p>"By the gods! Away with you!" Yami shouted.</p><p>Arata sighed in relief. He looked at the girl in front of him, who was trembling violently. </p><p>"Whoa! Calm down! It's just me..." Arata said.</p><p>He held his hands up in surrender. Yami narrowed her eyes at him.</p><p>"Oh...you startled me..I thought you were a...never mind. What are you doing out of your room?" Yami asked, suddenly serious.</p><p>The exorcist approached Arata in a very intimidating way. He gulped.</p><p>"I couldn't sleep. Wait, why are you out of your room?" Arata countered.</p><p>"I was going around and sending any wandering students back to their rooms. I do this every night." Yami stated.</p><p>Arata only became more confused. He hadn't seen her during the other times he had awoken and wandered around. Had he missed her?</p><p>"Um...okay. I guess I'll just head back to my room now." Arata said.</p><p>He moved around Yami and headed in the direction of the boys dormitory. He could still feel Yami staring at him as he turned the corner. Once he was sure that he was out of her sight, he finally relaxed.</p><p>Arata approached the door that led into the boys dormitory. He reached out to open it but the door swung open before he could touch it. He found himself in front of Kichino. </p><p>"Oh, it's just you. What are you doing?" Arata questioned. </p><p>Kichino looked utterly disgusted by the person in front of him. </p><p>"I was sent here by Zenaku-san. That annoying pest had me leave the library and return to my room. However, she does not control me, so I am going back there." Kichino said.</p><p>After he finished speaking, Kichino pushed past Arata and continued down the hall. Arata rolled his eyes. He walked to his door and entered his room.</p><p>Arata looked at his bare mattress. He felt a chill run down his spine. </p><p>'<em>Tomorrow is another day.</em>'</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>What to read a better and much more high quality version of this story? Go read it on my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Our Reality</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"<strong>Good morning, everyone! It is now 7 a.m. and nighttime is officially over! Time to rise and shine! Get ready to greet another beee-yutiful day!</strong>" </p><p>Arata looked up at the clock. Having not slept anymore that night after his nightmare, he was just utterly drained.</p><p>He hauled himself out of the bed and stood up. He ran a hand through his messy gray hair. </p><p>Now matter how hard he tried, he could never tame those three pieces of hair that always stuck up from the center of his head. </p><p>A few moments later, he left his room. Now, he was shivering as well. He didn't know how everyone else of doing. When he stepped out of his room, he jumped at the sound of someone sneezing. He looked to where the sound came from and was surprised to see Riku. </p><p>The assistant was leaning against Ren, who still had a calm and collected look on his face. He was rubbing Riku's arms in an attempt to make the boy warmer. </p><p>"Is everything okay?" Arata asked, approaching the two.</p><p>"Good morning Arata-kun. Everything is fine. I believe Riku-chan has just gotten a cold is all." Ren replied.</p><p>Arata nodded at the assistant. He turned and headed out of the boys dormitory. Yawning, he continued on towards the cafeteria.</p><p>When he arrived, he heard someone else sneeze. He looked again to where the sound originated and soon found the culprit.</p><p>"Are you okay, Koharu-san?" Arata asked.</p><p>The historian shook her head. She was shivering pretty badly. She was hugging her arms to her sides in an attempt to stay warm.</p><p>"Honestly, I feel like I might die any second. If that bear doesn't lift this motive soon, we'll all die." Koharu rambled.</p><p>Arata sighed and decided to leave her to her own devices. He looked around the room and the people that were in it. There was only a few missing. </p><p>Kichino, Kanon, Yuu, and Yami.</p><p>As if on cue, the cafeteria doors burst open, and in walked Yami, with Yuu slung over her shoulder like a rag doll. Arata quickly glanced over the smaller girl and was relieved to see that she was just sleeping. </p><p>Before Arata could comprehend it, Yami dumped Yuu into his arms. He struggled to hold her at first, then managed to steady himself. In his sleep deprived state, his strength was really low.</p><p>"Attention!! Has anyone seen Kanon-san or Kichino-sama? I checked both of their rooms but they were empty." Yami shouted.</p><p>There was a few murmurs back and forth but altogether, no one knew.</p><p>"I thought I saw Kazuno-san go up to the second floor this morning." Koharu piped up.</p><p>Yami nodded and turned towards Arata. She pointed a finger at him.</p><p>"Arata-kun! Come with me to go find Kanon-san! Atsu-kun! Go with Koharu-san to go find Kichino-sama!" Yami instructed.</p><p>Arata didn't answer. He simply followed the exorcist when she started walking out of the cafeteria. He knew that it wasn't really optional. </p><p>When he looked back, he could see Atsu desperately attempting to talk to Koharu, who appeared to be giving him the cold shoulder.</p><p>Strange.</p><p>-</p><p>Before they reached the steps, Yuu blinked open her eyes and shifted in Arata's arms. Noticing this, he gently set her down on her feet.</p><p>"Where...are we...?" Yuu asked, yawning.</p><p>"We're about to go up to the second floor to look for Kanon-san since Yami-san doesn't want her to miss breakfast." Arata explained.</p><p>Yuu nodded and reached out towards Arata. He knew exactly what she was doing. She grabbed his hand and held it. He didn't object. The three students made their way up the stairs. </p><p>"If I were to guess, I'd assume she was in the music room." Yami said.</p><p>Arata nodded in agreement. When they approached the door to the music room, they could hear the piano playing.</p><p>Yami reached for the door handle and wordlessly threw the door open.</p><p>And what greeted us was....</p><p>...</p><p> </p><p>...</p><p> </p><p>No..</p><p> </p><p>....</p><p> </p><p>....</p><p> </p><p>....</p><p> </p><p>....</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Blood </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>...</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Blood everywhere</em>
</p><p> </p><p>...</p><p> </p><p>...</p><p> </p><p>Blood painted the floor red. </p><p>It took Arata a moment to fully comprehend the scene in front of him. </p><p>There was no doubt about it. </p><p>They found Kanon.</p><p>Before he could act, a yell pierced the air. </p><p>"Aaaauugggghhhh!!!!" Yami screamed.</p><p>
  <strong>*Ding Dong Ding*</strong>
</p><p>Suddenly, the monitor in the room turned on.</p><p>"<strong>A body has been discovered! Everyone please assemble in the music room. All rooms will be unlocked for investigation purposes. After a certain amount of time, a class trial will be held. Now, investigate!</strong>" </p><p>'<em>That...was the body discovery announcement...so that means...</em>'</p><p>Arata couldn't look away from the body. Kanon Kazuno, the Ultimate DJ, was dead. Her corpse was sitting on the seat in front of the piano. Her head was completely crushed under the lid of the piano. Chunks of her skull and brain were scattered around. Fluids from the inside of her head were splattered everywhere was well.</p><p>Arata felt the grip on his hand tighten. He looked down at Yuu, who now had her face buried in his shirt.</p><p>Yami hadn't moved from where she stood. She was probably just as shocked as Arata was. </p><p>-</p><p>Soon enough, everyone ended up inside the music room, gaping in horror at Kanon's mangled body. </p><p>However, one person's reaction did catch Arata's attention. Riku was staring at Kanon's body with wide eyes. He was crying. And from Arata's perspective, it didn't seem like Riku knew that he was crying. </p><p>
  <em>*Thump*</em>
</p><p>Arata looked to where the sound came from and saw Hideshi laying on the floor, unconscious. </p><p>"<strong>Whoa! Extreme!! One of you must've hated this girl, huh?!</strong>"</p><p>Everyone turned towards the mechanical bear who appeared on the bloody piano top. </p><p>Kotori pushed to the front of the group of kids.</p><p>"Turn the heat on." Kotori demanded.</p><p>"<strong>Hold on there! What makes you think you can order me around, little missy?!</strong>" The bear said.</p><p>"The motive is over. Someone's dead. You said this is our investigation time. We can't investigate properly if we can't get our minds off the cold. So turn the heat on." Kotori demanded.</p><p>"<strong>Ah, here's that amazing feeling of despair again! Fine! I'll turn the heat on, you selfish bastards!! Get your asses moving! Otherwise I'll cut investigation time short!</strong>" Monokuma growled.</p><p>After that, the bear disappeared. Not a moment later, there was a click, and all the heaters in the school turned on all at once. All of the students sighed in relief and made their way towards a heater in the music room. Except Kotori.</p><p>Arata looked down at Yuu. He led her over to another heater. </p><p>"Stay here and stay warm." He instructed.</p><p>Yuu nodded and watched as Arata approached the bloody piano. </p><p>"Alright. Everyone, Katsune-san and I will search this room. Everyone split into groups of two and search around the rest of the school in case." Kotori instructed.</p><p>Everyone split into their groups and filed out of the music room. Except for Hideshi, whom still remained unconscious on the ground. But no one seemed to care.</p><p>Arata looked at Kotori, who was already examining Kanon's body. Arata walked up next to the piano. He heard Kotori gulp. She reached out and grabbed the lid of the piano. </p><p>Both of them winched as she lifted the lid, completely revealing Kanon's crushed head. Arata looked to the left. He spotted Kanon's headphones. </p><p>'<em>They must've fallen off her head when the piano lid came down. I should hang onto these.</em>'</p><p>"I'll look around the room more." Arata said. </p><p>Kotori nodded and continued to check Kanon's body. </p><p>"While your at it, can you also check the Monokuma file? It should be there like last time, right?" Kotori requested.</p><p>Arata pulled his Monopad out of his pocket. Sure enough, when he turned on the device, the words 'Monokuma File' popped up. He clicked on it and began to read the information out loud.</p><p>"Victim: Kanon Kazuno</p><p>Cause of Death: Head was crushed under the lid of a piano. Death was instant.</p><p>Body Was Found: In the music room."</p><p>Arata glanced over the Monokuma file once more.</p><p>"That's strange. It doesn't say a time of death." Arata pointed out.</p><p>"Guess we'll have to figure that out on our own. The blood was frozen because of the low temperature so I'm assuming that it happened before the morning announcement." Kotori observed.</p><p>As she was talking, Arata was staring at the blood that practically painted the ground. He noticed something that he hadn't seen before. </p><p>Footprints. </p><p>And they weren't his, nor Kotori's. They led away from the crime scene and towards the door, but they faded out before they even reached halfway to the door. </p><p>'<em>Guess these are the killers footprints.</em>'</p><p>"Katsune-san, come look at this." Kotori instructed.</p><p>Arata made his way over to Kotori who was standing near the left wall. He noticed a large air vent there. How had he missed that?</p><p>The mystery only became more confusing as Kotori put her hands on either side of the vent grate and effortlessly pulled it off.</p><p>"Where do you think it goes?" Arata asked.</p><p>Kotori shrugged.</p><p>"Only one way to find out."</p><p>Arata watched as the investigator crawled into the vent and began to maneuver through it. After a moment, he couldn't see her anymore.</p><p>"Kotori-san?"</p><p>Another moment passed and he saw Kotori returning. Once she was out of the vent, she straightened up.</p><p>"It leads to the computer lab." Kotori said, simply.</p><p>"Arata-chan! Haru-chan and Atsu-kun found something suspicious in the chemistry lab!!" Haru's puppet exclaimed.</p><p>Arata shifted his attention to the ventriloquist that stood in the doorway. His eyes flickered to Kotori and she responded with a nod.</p><p>He followed Haru to the chemistry lab. Once inside, he saw Atsu holding up a pair of shoes. The bottoms of them where covered in...blood?</p><p>"Where did you find those?" Arata asked. </p><p>"They were in the trash can" Atsu said.</p><p>"Those must be the killers shoes. If I'm correct, we weren't given any other outfits other than the ones we're wearing. So that means that someone is walking around without their shoes right now." Arata concluded.</p><p>"Haru-chan thinks we saw someone wearing no shoes during breakfast!! We doesn't remember thought..." The puppet spoke up. </p><p>"You mean Samuru-san?" Atsu asked.</p><p>The puppet shrugged.</p><p>"Why don't you two go find who's not wearing shoes and then report to me or Kotori-san." Arata suggested.</p><p>Atsu nodded and handed the bloody shoes to Arata. Then, they left the chemistry lab to go search for Yukio. </p><p>Arata returned to the music room. He held up the shoes for Kotori to see.</p><p>"I'm guessing these are what made the bloody footprints. Someone tried to toss them in the chemistry room trash." Arata explained.</p><p>"Seriously? Why not just bring them to their room instead?" Kotori questioned.</p><p>Arata shrugged.</p><p>"Maybe they were in a hurry." Arata suggested.</p><p>"Oh, and I pulled this out of the piano." Kotori said.</p><p>The girl held up what looked to be an old fashioned tape recorder. Arata looked at the recorder in confusion before Kotori pressed a button on it. The sound of a piano playing filled the room.</p><p>"I guess that's what I heard when me and Yami-san approached the room. The blackened was trying to make it seem like she was still playing." Arata thought aloud.</p><p>Kotori raised an eyebrow and looked back down at the device, trying to see if there was anything else about it. Arata set the bloody shoes down on the side of the stage. He continued to search around the area. </p><p>Arata's eyes locked on a white object that was balled up in the corner of the room. It seemed odd to him. Walking towards it, he picked up the object when he got to it. He uncrumpled it and soon discovered what it was.</p><p>It was a disposable surgeon mask. Like the one that Yukio had worn what he got chemicals on his regular mask. Except, this mask was smeared with blood. </p><p>"Find something?" Kotori called out to him.</p><p>"Yeah. Bloody face mask. Looks like the killer wore it and didn't dispose of it properly." Arata explained.</p><p>"Jeez. Either this killer is a real amateur, or they're trying to frame someone in a really basic way. What a novice." Kotori sighed.</p><p>Arata was unsure of what to say.</p><p>"<strong>Alright you bastards!! Investigation time is over! Please make your way to the gymnasium so that I can direct you to the trial grounds!</strong>" </p><p>Arata felt his heart speed up. Once again, he was going to have to fight for his life. Of course, he wouldn't lose. He grabbed the bloody shoes off the stage and brought them with him. </p><p>Once he and Kotori left the music room, he was surprised to see that Yuu was waiting there. She held out his blazer that he had lent to her the other day. After putting it back on, he held out his hand to Yuu, who happily took it.</p><p>The three students made their way to the gymnasium. They appeared to be the last ones to get there. </p><p>Arata glanced at all of the students feet, to see if any weren't wearing shoes. He soon discovered that one person was wearing socks and no shoes. </p><p>'<em>Found them</em>'</p><p>The wall in front of the students opened up to reveal a large elevator. They all hesitantly filed inside and the doors closed behind them. The elevator slowly began to descend.</p><p>Arata stared down at his feet as the elevator continued to descend. Soon, a loud ding was heard and the elevator doors opened.</p><p>It revealed the same trial room as before. At this point, everyone knew what to do. They all headed to their podiums.</p><p>Arata headed to his own and looked down at his feet.</p><p>'<em>Kanon Kazuno, The Ultimate DJ. She was a very friendly and really really loud person. She had an overwhelming passion for music and it was nearly impossible to calm her down. </em></p><p>
  <em>She loved everyone, no matter what they were like. She didn't care if she wasn't liked back either. She just lived life to its fullest. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>But...someone killed her. They smashed her head open. That killer is standing in this room with us now. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>I was never close to Kanon-san, but I know she didn't deserve to die. Therefore, I will unmask her killer, no matter what. </em>
</p><p><em>I promise.</em>'</p><p>-</p><p>"<strong>Alright, lets begin with an explanation of the class trial. You all will debate amongst yourselves, using evidence collected during the investigation phase, to determine the culprit. The trial ends when the culprit - known as the "Blackened" - is uncovered, and ultimately executed. Now! Begin!</strong>"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Want to see a better version of this story? Go read it on my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47. It’ll be worth it. Trust me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. You’re The Culprint!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Arata looked around the group of kids. He clenched his fist. He had to start. Before he even got a chance to speak, someone beat him to it.</p><p>"Alright! Listen to me, my classmates! Let us join our minds together and shed light on this killer!" Yami shouted. </p><p>"Yeah, lets just start out with the basics. It's obvious that the murder weapon was the piano lid. As we all saw, the victims head was crushed underneath it. I performed a small autopsy and I can confirm that the death was instant." Kotori said.</p><p>"That's a relief...at least she didn't suffer." Koharu said.</p><p>"Huh?! How's that a relief!?! She's dead!!!" Hideshi exclaimed.</p><p>Everyone ignored the mystery boy and continued.</p><p>"If I may ask, why did you perform an autopsy, Kaminaga-san? I thought that was stuff that detective's did. Aren't you an investigator?" Koharu asked.</p><p>"You're right. My observation skills outweigh my skills as a detective, which is the reason that I'm the Ultimate Investigator and not the Ultimate Detective. So, I do have skills as a detective, but I prefer to only investigate, not accuse." Kotori explained.</p><p>"Ah...I see..." The historian trailed off.</p><p>"Cease your chatter. Do not distract us from the matter at hand." Kichino interrupted.</p><p>'<em>Looks like it's time to get started</em>' </p><p>"How did the blackened manage to kill Kazuno-san like that? Did she not see them or something?" Atsu asked.</p><p>'<em>Not there...</em>'</p><p>"Maybe it was like last time. Maybe Kanon-san attacked them and they retaliated like that!" Haru's puppet suggested.</p><p>"But it doesn't look like there was evidence of a struggle." Kotori replied.</p><p>"What if the piano lid fell on her head while she was playing. That's means this whole thing could've been an accident!" Hideshi said.</p><p>'<em>There!</em>'</p><p>"<strong>No, that's wrong!</strong>"</p><p>
  <strong>*Break*</strong>
</p><p>"I don't think this was an accident. When you're sitting at that piano your head isn't close enough to the lid. Even if she had leaned in and the lid had fell, it wouldn't have been enough to even knock her out." Arata explained. </p><p>"Then this is by no means, an accident. If the lid had just fallen, then it wouldn't have made that blood fest we saw. Someone must've waited for her to put her head under, or they pushed her head under it themselves, and then they slammed the lid down on her head." Kotori said, in a thinking posture.</p><p>"That actually makes a lot of sense." Koharu said. </p><p>"But where does that get us? We are back to square one. All we know is that it was not an accident, which was noticeable from the beginning." Kichino chimed in.</p><p>"Oh my god, just shut up please. Your existence gives me a headache." Kotori said, just absolutely done.</p><p>Kichino looked at her with a expression that could only be described as appalled and offended. </p><p>"Anyways, we should probably figure about the time of death. It wasn't written in the Monokuma file so we need to determine it on our own." Arata interjected.</p><p>"It's obvious that the murder happened this morning! After all, Koharu-san said she saw Kanon-san go to the second floor!" Hideshi said.</p><p>"Oh...I wasn't wearing my glasses at the time so I just assumed it was Kazuno-san." Koharu said nervously. </p><p>"Why did you not mention that before?! That was crucial information that could easily change our fate. People of your class makes me sick. If you have information, then tell us right away you insulant brat!" Kichino said to Koharu.</p><p>"You're one to talk." Koharu mumbled.</p><p>"What was that?" Kichino shot a glare at her. </p><p>"Nothing, Beverly Hills!! Let's just continue on with the trial please!" Koharu exclaimed, frantically trying to shift the topic away.</p><p>"Also, how do you not know what Kanon-san looks like. Even without your glasses, it's hard to miss her bright ass pink hair." Hideshi pointed out.</p><p>"Sh-shut up. It was the morning so I was still a bit tired...." Koharu mumbled.</p><p>"So, considering the chance that it wasn't Kazuno-san you saw, then who was it? Did anyone go up to the second floor this morning?" Kotori questioned. </p><p>"I did." </p><p>All eyes turned to where the voice had come from.</p><p>Sara.</p><p>"Then explain what you were doing up there. For all we know, you were the one who killed her." Kichino said.</p><p>Sara looked down at her feet. She was silent for a moment before finally responding.</p><p>"My toilet wasn't working when I woke up, so I went to the second floor so I could use the bathroom." Sara explained. </p><p>"Do you have proof? " Hideshi asked. </p><p>Sara was silent again before answering.</p><p>"I don't have proof. It only comes down to if you trust my testimony." Sara said. </p><p>After that, everyone in the trial room seemed to be working against Sara. </p><p>"It actually would make sense if she were the killer." Haru's puppet spoke up.</p><p>"Her talent is the Ultimate Markswoman." Koharu pointed out.</p><p>"She wouldn't have trouble shoving Kazuno-san's head under the piano lid and slamming it down. We've witnessed her strength when she effortlessly picked up Nakashima-san when he was unconscious." Kotori recalled.</p><p>Arata's brow twitched slightly. </p><p>'<em>Something...isn't right. Why isn't she trying to defend herself?</em>'</p><p>Arata looked at Sara, who was staring straight ahead with a blank gaze. He could see a spark of emotion in her eyes. Was that...acceptance?</p><p>'<em>Everyone is accusing Ikeda-san as the culprit. But...is that okay?</em>'</p><p>He couldn't shake off the feeling that something wasn't right about this. Sara didn't seem like she was the killer. </p><p>Arata knew he didn't have anything that would help him. Even if he voiced his suspicions, that would only make everyone think that he was working with her or something. </p><p>He clenched his teeth. He had to trust his gut feeling. It helped him survive this far.</p><p>"If you don't have any proof, then we'll have to vote for you as the culprit." Hideshi said.</p><p>'<strong>Turn this lie, into the truth...</strong>'</p><p>"W-wait, I forgot something important. I did see Ikeda-san this morning." Arata lied.</p><p>'<em>I hope I'm right about this.</em>'</p><p>Everyone turned their eyes towards him. He felt like a spotlight had just appeared on him. After he spoke, Sara locked eyes with him for a moment, as if she knew that what he said was false. But nonetheless, she stayed quiet.</p><p>"You did?" Atsu questioned.</p><p>"Yeah, I did. My bathroom was acting up as well so I just decided to go to the one on the second floor too. I saw her enter the girls bathroom. When I was leaving, I saw her exit again and go back down the stairs." Arata explained.</p><p>"Wow, we gotta lotta plumbing issues, huh? Guess I'll have to put these paws to work once more!" Monokuma said.</p><p>"How on earth could you forget something so important?" Yukio asked, incredulous.</p><p>"I guess I was too caught up in Kazuno-san's death that I forgot..." Arata said.</p><p>A couple people exchanged a few looks.</p><p>"Anyways, so I'm guessing that no one saw Kazuno-san this morning then. So, I hope I'm right, but I think she must have been killed the night before." Kotori said.</p><p>"So did anyone see Kazuno-san last night? It'll help as determine where we can state our alibis." Yukio asked.</p><p>"I saw her. I woke up about an hour and a half after the nighttime announcement. I walked around for a little and went to the second floor. I heard the piano playing and it turned out to be Kazuno-san, so I talked to her for a few minutes then returned to my room. So I think that we should provide alibis for around 11:00 pm to 12:00 am." Arata said, without thinking of the severity of his testimony.</p><p>The trial room had gone silent. Everyone was staring at the Ultimate Survivor. He finally understood the gravity of what he had just revealed.</p><p>'<em>Shit.</em>'</p><p>"So if you were the last person to see her, than that means that you're our prime suspect." Koharu accused. </p><p>Arata felt a bead of sweat drop down his face. He didn't think this through.</p><p>"Hold on. Listen to me. Let's ju-" Arata began.</p><p>"Don't try to change the topic, Ultimate Survivor. You live to survive, right? You could have easily done the deed." Hideshi accused.</p><p>"Since you are the Ultimate Survivor, your life must come before anyone else's. You killed Kanon-san so that you would not die from the cold, and you tried to have us guess the wrong person so that you could survive once more." Yami said, throwing another accusation at him.</p><p>"So you were just trying to gain our trust?! You're horrible." Koharu cried.</p><p>"Such a shame. Kazuno-san seemed to like you. And you mercilessly stabbed her in the back. Metaphorically." Yukio added.</p><p>Arata looked around the group of students.</p><p>"You're wrong! I didn't deceive any of you!" Arata raised his voice.</p><p>"Everyone! Please stop accusing Arata-chan! He wouldn't kill anyone!" Haru's puppet spoke up.</p><p>"I don't...think he did it...either..." Yuu said, yawning.</p><p>"This isn't getting us anywhere. Arata-san, I don't know whether to believe you or not but I need to find the truth. I'm not a detective, so I'm just as conflicted as most of everyone." Kotori said, seemingly at a loss.</p><p>"I'm not asking you to forgot that I'm a suspect. But let's just move forward. You can accuse me all you want later but first, let's just state our alibis from 11:00 pm to 12:00 am." Arata interjected.</p><p>Everyone glanced around with unsettling looks. It's clear that they weren't ready to move on yet but knew that it would be smart to do.</p><p>"I was...alseep...at that time..." Yuu was the first to speak up.</p><p>"I was in my room." Sara said.</p><p>"I was instructing any wandering students to return to their rooms. It is my nightly routine." Yami said, firmly.</p><p>"Me and Riku-chan were asleep in his room." Ren said.</p><p>Riku nodded, backing up Ren's claim.</p><p>"Haru-chan was also in our room." The puppet said.</p><p>"I was in my room as well." Kotori said.</p><p>"I was in the library before that ungodly pest forced me back to my room." Kichino said, sending a death glare towards Yami.</p><p>Arata looked at the luckster for a moment. </p><p>'<em>He left out the part where he went back.</em>'</p><p>Yami's face became incredibly dangerous and threatened after hearing what Kichino called her.</p><p>"You vile man! Do not accuse me of being something ‘ungodly’." Yami hissed.</p><p>Kichino merely smirked at this. He didn't seem effected in the slightest. </p><p>"I was in the chemistry lab before being instructed to leave by Zenaku-san." Yukio said, quietly.</p><p>"I was in my room as well. I was more or less fooling around with the Monopad." Atsu said.</p><p>"I was in my room too." Hideshi said.</p><p>"I think that was everyone. As you know, I was wandering around during this time." Arata said.</p><p>"Alright. So if I have this right, then the only ones that weren't in their rooms were Arata-san, Shinobu-san, Zenaku-san, Samuru-san. And of course, Kazuno-san." Kotori explained.</p><p>Arata thought about the information for a moment.</p><p>"<strong>Wait! Answer this!</strong>"</p><p>"Yami-san, when I ran into you last night, I'm assuming that you went up to the second floor and then kicked Samuru-san out of the chemistry lab, right?" Arata asked.</p><p>"Yes. That is correct. But what is your point?" Yami replied.</p><p>"If you went to the second floor, than why didn't you kick Kanon-san out as well?" Arata questioned.</p><p>"At the time, I was unaware of her existence on the upper floor." Yami responded.</p><p>"Wait, If she was playing the piano, then why didn't you hear it?" Kotori asked.</p><p>"I didn't hear anything coming from that room. I only heard clinking coming from the chemistry lab, which led me to Yukio-san." Yami said, firmly.</p><p>"That's strange. What did you do after you sent Samuru-san to his room?" Arata asked.</p><p>"I went down to the first level and returned to my room of course." Yami said.</p><p>"How do we know you're telling the truth?" Kotori asked.</p><p>"I believe I remember hearing her return down the steps next to the girls dormitory. The way she walks is irritatingly simple" Kichino spoke up.</p><p>"Didn't you say you went back to your room?" Atsu asked.</p><p>"Did I?" Kichino wondered aloud, failing to hide his smirk.</p><p>"When I was returning to my room, I ran into him. He said he was headed back to the library." Arata said. </p><p>"You fiend! How dare you defy my orders! I did that to protect you!" Yami exclaimed.</p><p>"I do not need to be babysat. You do not order me around." Kichino countered.</p><p>"Alright then so thinking back, why didn't Zenaku-san hear the music from the piano?" Kotori said.</p><p>"W-What If sh-she was a-already dead b-b-by the t-time Zenaku-san got u-up-upstairs?" Riku suggested.</p><p>"That's impossible. You can't commit murder in that small of a time gap. They would have had to be hiding nearby." Sara refuted. </p><p>"Perhaps they were." Kichino interrupted.</p><p>Everyone turned their eyes towards the Ultimate Luckster. He still had his disinterested look on his face. </p><p>"What do you mean?" Haru's puppet asked.</p><p>"What is this? Do you peasants wish to bask in my genius mind? Very well. Think of it as a charity." Kichino chuckled.</p><p>
  <strong>[Non-Stop Debate]</strong>
</p><p>"What do you mean someone was hiding nearby? Explain." Kotori said.</p><p>"I was getting to that. Think about it logically. Besides Katsune-san and Zenaku-san, who was the only person left nearby?" Kichino began.</p><p>"What do you...?" Koharu trailed off.</p><p>"Samuru-san. He could have been the one to kill her. After all, he was in the chemistry lab, which in right across the hall from the music room." Kichino continued.</p><p>'<em>Damnit. I need to speak soon</em>'</p><p>"Whoa! Slow down! You don't have any proof!" Hideshi spoke up.</p><p>'<em>There!</em>'</p><p>"<strong>I'll cut through your words!</strong>"</p><p>
  <strong>*Break*</strong>
</p><p>"Actually, there is proof that Samuru-san could have killed her." Arata said.</p><p>"Huh?! Then say it damnit!" Hideshi shouted, looking rather nervous.</p><p>Arata glanced over at Yukio. The boy looked like he was on the verge of a panic attack. His eyes were wide and he was hugging his arms tightly to his sides.</p><p>"During the investigation, I found this thrown in the corner of the music room." Arata said.</p><p>He took the bloody face mask out of his pocket and showed it to everyone.</p><p>"No! I-it can't be! I wouldn't have..." Yukio shouted almost immediately.</p><p>Arata opened his mouth to speak, but he didn't get to say a word.</p><p>"<strong>The pieces don't fit together!</strong>"</p><p>'<em>A rebuttal?</em>'</p><p>"I'll make you see that you're wrong!" Hideshi said.</p><p>
  <strong>[Start]</strong>
</p><p>"Just because there was a mask at the crime scene, doesn't mean Yukio-chan is the killer!!" </p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"Anyone could have worn that mask you know!"</p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"Don't jump to conclusions!"</p><p>*Strike*</p><p>'<em>My turn</em>'</p><p>"I'm not jumping to conclusions. I'm just saying that it's possible that he could have been the culprit. Kanon-san would've been suspicious if anyone other than Samuru-san approached her while wearing a face mask like this." Arata argued.</p><p>"That's still not convincing! You know how gullible Kanon-san was! Her suspicion could've been easily diverted." Hideshi said.</p><p>*Miss*</p><p>"Yukio-chan also couldn't have gotten to the music room in time!" </p><p>*Miss*</p><p>'<em>Shit!</em>'</p><p>"And you still don't have enough proof that Yukio-chan killed her!"</p><p>'<em>Found it.</em>'</p><p>"<strong>That's where you're wrong!</strong>"</p><p>
  <strong>*Break*</strong>
</p><p>"Huh?" Hideshi said.</p><p>"There is more proof that Samuru-san could possibly be the killer. I have two people who can back me up in this one." Arata said.</p><p>The survivor looked back and forth between the two.</p><p>"Haru-chan. Atsu-san. Remember the shoes we found? I have them right here." Arata said.</p><p>He held up the pair of shoes with bloodstained bottoms. Haru's puppet and Atsu both nodded in confirmation.</p><p>"The hell does that have to do with anything?!" Hideshi shouted.</p><p>"That's where...they were...where did you find them!?" Yukio shouted, catching everyone by surprise.</p><p>"Do not pretend like you do not know, you sinful being." Yami deadpanned.</p><p>"Yuki-chan!? What are they talking about!?" Hideshi asked.</p><p>"Don't call me that. But when I was kicked out of the chemistry lab last night, I accidentally left my shoes behind. I was planning on staying in there the entire night so I removed them. Unfortunately, Zenaku-san removed me from the room." Yukio explained.</p><p>"Wha- But that doesn't mean that you're the killer!" Hideshi exclaimed.</p><p>"Why are you defending me!?" Yukio questioned.</p><p>"Because I love you!" Hideshi shouted.</p><p>The entire trial room became dead silent after that.</p><p>"....what?" </p><p>"Okay, that was a lie. I'm defending you because you're my friend!" Hideshi said.</p><p>"I don't need...friends..." Yukio mumbled, his voice trembling slightly.</p><p>'<em>Something isn't right. This is way too easy.</em>'</p><p>"We're getting off track. We still need to determine if Samuru-san is or isn't the killer. I think there's evidence that supports that he isn't." Kotori chimed in.</p><p>"I agree with Kotori-san. Something doesn't seem right about this. It's too easy." Arata said.</p><p>"You just accused him and now you're defending him!? Choose a side already!" Hideshi yelled.</p><p>"Fools! All of you! He is the obvious killer! The gods are pointing their fingers towards him!" Yami exclaimed.</p><p>"We agree! Well, maybe not about the whole 'gods pointing their fingers' thing but all the signs point to Yukio-kun!" Haru's puppet said.</p><p>"We shouldn't be so hasty. They said there was evidence that it was someone else. We should hear them out." Ren said, softly.</p><p>"I think...he did it..." Yuu mumbled, half conscious.</p><p>"As Yukio-chan's devoted friend, I'll fight against those who think he's a killer!" Hideshi proclaimed.</p><p>Yukio looked incredibly uncomfortable and disturbed.</p><p>"Obviously, I'm against myself being the killer." The Mad Scientist said.</p><p>"I-I think he-he killed her. I-I just get t-th-the feeling..." Riku stuttered.</p><p>"I will stay by my claim. I believe he is the killer." Kichino concluded, looking off to the side.</p><p>"Something like that...I can't help but think he did it" Koharu muttered.</p><p>Atsu sighed and stared at the ground.</p><p>"I don't know...but...the evidence...points to Samuru-san..." The Swindler said.</p><p>"It looks like our opinions are more or less 50/50." Kichino deduced.</p><p>"<strong>I see through your argument!!</strong>"</p><p>Everyone turned to look at the mechanical bear. Their eyes displayed confusion.</p><p>"<strong>50/50? So you're at a disagreement? If so, then Soaring Heights is proud to present their very own morphinominal trial grounds!</strong>"</p><p>Everyone almost fell as their podiums began to lift into the air in a spiral motion. The podiums stopped when they reached a small room. Each of the students were on one side, considering what they are arguing for.</p><p>
  <strong>(Scrum Debate Start)</strong>
</p><p>"At the crime scene, there was obvious evidence of Samuru-san being there." Haru's puppet said.</p><p>Arata glanced over the people that were siding with him.</p><p>"Ren-san!"</p><p>"I understand where you're coming from but just because there's evidence, doesn't mean it was left by Samuru-kun. The killer could've put it there to confuse us." Ren said.</p><p>*Fire!*</p><p>"Samuru-san left those footprints that led away from the crime scene." Atsu said.</p><p>"Samuru-san!"</p><p>"I left my shoes in the chemistry lab! Anyone could have grabbed them and made the illusion that I walked through it." Yukio countered.</p><p>*Fire!*</p><p>"There was a mask found at the crime scene and it looked like the one that Samuru-san wears." Koharu said.</p><p>"Ikeda-san!"</p><p>"Those masks are in the chemistry lab. There's a whole box of them and they're free for anyone to take." Sara said.</p><p>*Fire!*</p><p>"S-Samuru-kun was the o-only other per-person left u-upstairs after Arata-kun le-left the music r-room." Riku said.</p><p>"Kotori-san!"</p><p>"That's not entirely true. There could've been someone hiding nearby." Kotori said.</p><p>*Fire!*</p><p>"Just give in already! Let us vote and take our victory." Kami demanded.</p><p>'<em>I'll do it!</em>'</p><p>"We can't vote yet. There's still some things that need to be answered." Arata said.</p><p>'<em>I think I'm getting through to them. It's time to finished this.</em>'</p><p>All at once, everyone siding with Arata put their minds together. </p><p>"<strong>This is our answer!</strong>"</p><p>Just like that, the podiums lowered and the students were back in their normal circle.</p><p>"You all have to wait. Do you understand how Samuru-san was framed?" Arata asked.</p><p>All eyes were on him. A few people nodded. Kichino was smirking, seemingly having known the entire time.</p><p>"Alright. Let's talk about how the murder happened. Maybe that will give us more clues." Kotori said.</p><p>"Okay, so the culprit waited for Arata-san to leave the music room, then they took out Kanon-san real quick." Hideshi started.</p><p>"They must've been recording Kazuno-san playing with the tape recorder I found in the piano" Kotori continued.</p><p>"Tape recorder?" Atsu echoed.</p><p>"Then, they waited for both Zenaku-san and Samuru-san to go back down stairs, then they went and grabbed one of the mask things and smeared it with blood. Then, they placed it in the music room." Koharu suggested.</p><p>"I'm guessing they saw Samuru-san's shoes in the chemistry lab and decided to add fuel to the fire. They faked bloody footprints with the shoes then dumped them in the trash, so that they were out of sight, but not to those who were searching for anything suspicious." Atsu said. </p><p>"How did they not get covered in blood when they crushed her head?" Haru's puppet asked.</p><p>"Maybe they were covered by something." Sara suggested. </p><p>"That would've been way too suspicious. Kazuno-san would've known something was up!" Atsu said.</p><p>'<em>Finally.</em>'</p><p>"<strong>I hear it!</strong>"</p><p>
  <strong>*Break*</strong>
</p><p>"What about this: What if she didn't know the killer was there. It would've given them the element of surprise. If she didn't see them, then she couldn't be suspicious about how they look." Arata said.</p><p>"But how did the culprit do all of that in a short amount of time? They would've had to cover themselves and kill Kazuno-san before Zenaku-san came up the stairs and heard them." Sara asked. </p><p>"Maybe that's not when they killed her. When Zenaku-san didn't hear any music, it could've just been Kazuno-san taking a break." Kotori said.</p><p>"So that means the killer waited for Zenaku-san and Samuru-san to go down the stairs before killing Kazuno-san." Kichino stated.</p><p>"Where d-did they even h-hide? There was-wasn't a-anywhere in the m-music room that t-th-they wouldn't b-be seen in. A-and if they e-entered throu-through the d-door, then Kazuno-san w-would have se-seen t-them." Riku sputtered out.</p><p>"Wait, there actually could have been an alternate entry point. If I'm correct about this, than if someone entered through there, it would have been directly out of Kazuno-san's line of sight. Arata-san, Do you know what I'm talking about?" Kotori asked.</p><p>'<em>An alteranate entry point?</em>'</p><p>"<strong>I got it!</strong>"</p><p>"Kotori-san is referring to the air vent in the music room. After inspecting it, we discovered that it led to the computer lab." Arata explained.</p><p>"Aren't those vents screwed to the wall? How would they have taken the cover vent off?" Atsu asked. </p><p>"<strong>Upupupu~...how strange indeed. It's almost as strange as a mechanical bear unscrewing all the air vents when the second motive was presented.</strong>"</p><p>"Wait, I've just realized something. If Monokuma took all the sheets off of our beds, and we only have one pair of clothes, then how did the culprit manage to block the blood splatter?" Yukio asked suddenly.</p><p>"That's a good question actually." Kotori pondered.</p><p>'<em>How did the culprit manage to block the blood splatter?</em>'</p><p>"What if they didn't block the blood? If they took the hit, they would've been completely spattered in blood. But if they were quiet enough to sneak up on Kanon-san, then they would've been quiet enough to sneak back down the stairs, to the laundry room. They could've easily washed their clothes and any excess blood." Arata said.</p><p>"But how would they have been able to avoid being seen by Kichino-sama? After all, he said he was in the library." Yami objected.</p><p>"It's kinda simple actually. If they took the steps down the boys dormitory and walked around the front hallway, they could've made it to the laundry room without being seen." Kotori answered. </p><p>"They seemed like they had this whole thing planned out for awhile. Especially since they had prerecorded Kanon-san playing the piano." Arata said.</p><p>"Alright. Let's try to go through this from the top." Kotori said.</p><p>Arata nodded.</p><p>"Okay, So after I left the music room, Yami-san went upstairs and kicked Samuru-san out of the chemistry lab. After that, he probably went down the staircase that was closest to the boys dormitory-" </p><p>Before Arata could continue, he was cut off.</p><p>"Actually, I went down the opposite staircase. My mind had been so frazzled that I lost my sense of direction." Yukio admitted.</p><p>'<em>Wait...if that's true then...</em>'</p><p>"Shinobu-san...are you sure that it was Yami-san that you heard coming down the stairs?" Arata asked.</p><p>"My hearing is never incorrect, however, some of you have a similar walking style. So perhaps I mistook them for someone else's." Kichino said.</p><p>"Arata-kun? Where are you going with this?" Yami asked, taking a step forward.</p><p>"Samuru-san, did you see Yami-san follow you down those stairs?" Arata asked.</p><p>Yukio looked just as confused as almost everyone else.</p><p>"No, she said she had to stay back and...check the...other....rooms..." Yukio slowly began to come to realization.</p><p>"Arata-kun! What are you insinuating!? Do not tell me you think that I would commit such an atrocious sin!" Yami yelled.</p><p>"I'm not. But, since you knew Samuru-san left his shoes behind, then you would've been an understandable culprit to steal them. You did the whole 'curfew' thing to clear the top floor, other than Kazuno-san." Kotori said.</p><p>Yami's eyes widened and her face displayed utter bewilderment. Soon, her surprise quickly turned to anger.</p><p>"Why you...I can not believe that you think that I would do that to Kanon-san! I am to purge demons, not become one!" Yami exclaimed.</p><p>"I'm sorry Yami-san, but it would make sense. So if you-"</p><p>"<strong>I condemn you back to hell!!</strong>"</p><p>'<em>Shit. A rebuttal.</em>'</p><p>"It is just as I thought. A demon has burrowed its way into your mind, Arata-kun. I shall have to cleanse you." Yami said.</p><p>
  <strong>[Start]</strong>
</p><p>"I will not let this got untreated! You have no right to accuse me of this, Arata-kun!" Yami shouted.</p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"Yukio-kun could easily be lying about the path he took!"</p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"Why are you not accusing Yukio-kun!? There is too much evidence that points towards him!" </p><p>*Strike*</p><p>'<em>My turn</em>'</p><p>"Samuru-san doesn't seem like he could do this. This murder was too organized. Samuru-san can barely even organize his chemical mixtures properly." Arata said.</p><p>"Rude." Yukon mumbled.</p><p>"That is no excuse! He could have been hiding his intentions!" Yami yelled.</p><p>*Strike*</p><p>'<em>Enough.</em>'</p><p>"<strong>The truth is here!</strong>"</p><p>
  <strong>*Break*</strong>
</p><p>"I'm sorry Yami-san, but you're the only suspect. All of the pieces fall into place" Arata said.</p><p>"You...why you...how dare you.." Yami was too engulfed in rage to make a full sentence.</p><p>"Okay. Arata-san, time to put the pieces together." Kotori said.</p><p>"Got it." Arata took a deep breath.</p><p>"<strong>Here's everything that happened in this case!</strong>"</p><p>"It all started when the culprit began to record Kanon-san playing the piano. That would come in later. <br/>Last night, our culprit put their plan into motion. They started by sending students back to their rooms so that they could move around without running into anyone. However, they didn't account for Shinobu-san returning to the library after they left. They ran into me and waited till I was gone to go upstairs. <br/>After that, they kicked out Samuru-san. Since he was planning on staying the night there, he had left his shoes behind. In his hurry, he took the wrong set of steps. He was heard by Shinobu-san, who had mistaken him for the culprit. The culprit had most likely known about the unscrewed air vents and figured out how to get through. <br/>After they were sure that Samuru-san left, they entered the computer lab and pulled off the vent covered and crawled into the next room. Anyone would have heard them, but Kanon-san couldn't hear over there piano. And, it's highly likely that she was wearing her headphones too. <br/>Once they entered, they quietly approached Kanon-san from behind. Using what was most likely pure adrenaline, they shoved Kanon-san's head under the piano lid and slammed it down on her head. They were splattered with blood of course, but they knew that was going to happen. <br/>They exited the room through the vent, while putting the cover back on. Then, they went back to the chemistry lab and grabbed one of the face masks and smeared it in blood. They crumpled it into a small ball. Then, they grabbed Samuru-san's shoes and made their way back to the music room, using the door this time. They threw the bloody mask in the corner, knowing it would be found later. <br/>Then, they dipped the shoes in the blood puddle and made a trail leading away from the piano. <br/>After that, they returned to the chemistry lab and threw the shoes in the trash can, knowing that they would also be found later. After that was all done, they took the opposite stairway that Samuru-san took. They had done it for safety measures. Then, they went to the laundry room and cleaned their clothes and face. Once that was done, they snuck back into the dormitory. </p><p>And that person is standing with us here today. If I missed anything, please tell me, Yami Zenaku, The Ultimate Exorcist!"</p><p>
  <strong>*Break*</strong>
</p><p>"You...you monster...why do you still struggle?" Yami said, lowly. Her voice was trembling with fury and what could also be depicted as fear.</p><p>"<strong>Upupupu~! Are we all ready to vote?</strong>" Monokuma asked.</p><p>"No! I will not let anyone choose the wrong answer! You have it all wrong! I am not the culprit!" Yami yelled.</p><p>"Yes. We're ready, Monokuma." Kotori said, ignoring Yami.</p><p>"Stop it!! I said stop it!! Listen to me!!!!" Yami pleaded.</p><p>Her cries were in vain as the rest of the students cast their votes. After that, a slot machine appeared on a monitor.</p><p>"<strong>Ding Ding Ding!! You're all correct! The killer of Kanon Kazuno was Yami Zenaku, the Ultimate Exorcist!!</strong>" Monokuma announced.</p><p>
  <strong>[Case Closed]</strong>
</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>"Fools! All of you are fools! You do not understand what you have just done!" Yami shouted, holding the sides of her head with her hands.</p><p>"Z-Zenaku-san...w-wh-why did you k-kill Kazuno-san...? She h-had a f-family..." Riku asked.</p><p>"Do not talk to me! I do not wish to hear the excuses of you lowlife's of hell." Yami shouted. </p><p>"Yami-san, what are you talking about?" Arata spoke up.</p><p>"Do not play innocent. All of you have been possessed by demons. The entities that surround you are too powerful to be exorcised, so that I means I must extinguish the host. All of you must die!!" Yami cried out, her voice cracking slightly.</p><p>Yami watched as the spirits swarmed around the group of kids like birds. They clung to the children, feeding off their souls. She couldn't save them. She had to live. In order to do that, she had to kill them.</p><p>"I...made a promise...to my mother...after she was killed by the demon that possessed my father. She wanted me to make the world a better place. I am shameful to have to resort to something as sinful as murder, but you all were beyond saving. The spirits have been preying on you for too long!" Kami exclaimed.</p><p>Arata felt a pant of guilt in his heart. </p><p>'<em>A demon that possessed her father? Maybe that's what domestic abuse means.</em>'</p><p>"Would you stop with your ignorant pity party already? No one cares what your motive was. The only thing that matters is that you killed someone. No matter what your intentions were, you still committed the lowest crime possible. Tsk, and you wanted to make the world a better place? Tell me, Yami Zenaku, does this look better to you?" Kichino ask, gesturing around him.</p><p>Yami widened her eyes and looked around the room. Almost everyone was staring at her like she was a monster. She looked down at her hands. They were shaking really badly. Had something possessed her? Why couldn't she see it?</p><p>Oh.</p><p>She understood now.</p><p>It wasn't them who were monsters.</p><p>It wasn't them who were evil.</p><p>It was her.</p><p>"I-I was just...trying to save everyone..." Yami trailed off, slowly falling to her knees.</p><p>"No, you were trying to kill everyone, Yami-san. We aren't possessed by anything. You were deceived." Hideshi said, bluntly. </p><p>“I...I let my guard down...and a demon...it invaded my mind...and made me do such things...made me see such false things....” she muttered.</p><p>"<strong>Alright I'm bored as all hell. I think we all know what happens next. Those who disturb the peace, must pay the price.</strong>" Monokuma said.</p><p>"No! I will not let you kill me! I have to save everyone!" Yami cried out, quickly getting back to her feet. Tears slipped from her eyes.</p><p>"<strong>That's not your choice. You killed someone and got caught, so you will be executed!</strong>" Monokuma said.</p><p>Yami widened her eyes and stepped off her podium. Her eyes were clouded with despair. She turned and ran towards the elevator and began pounding on the door with her fists. </p><p>All that Arata could do was watch, knowing that he couldn't do anything. </p><p>"Let me out!!! I can not die here!! I will not die here! LET ME OUT!!! PLEASE SAVE ME, GOD!!!!" Yami screamed, pounding in the metal elevator door. Her desperate sobs filled the room.</p><p>"<strong>Like I said, I'm not gonna let you go. Now...I've prepared a very special punishment for Yami Zenaku, the Ultimate Exorcist. </strong></p><p>
  <strong>Let's give it everything we've got! </strong>
</p><p><strong>It's....PUNISHMENT TIME!!!!</strong>" </p><p>
  <strong>(Yami Zenaku has been found guilty. <br/>Time for the punishment!)</strong>
</p><p>"Please! Please help me! I do not want to die yet!!!" Yami cried, slamming her fist against the elevator door in vain.</p><p>////////////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\</p><p>
  <em>The blackened runs through a dark forest. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>A angry mob of Monokuma's dressed as villagers chase after.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>A title flashes on the screen. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>'Burn The Witch!'</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Yami continues to run through the dark forest. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Her foot snags on a root, making her trip.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>She ends out tumbling into a clearing.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>The angry mob caught up to her. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Before she knows it, she's tied to a wooden cross that's staked into the ground. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Yami struggles against the bindings.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>A Monokuma villager approached her, holding a torch. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>The Monokuma lights the cross up with the torch. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>The flames slowly begin to overtake her.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Yami screams in agony as the fire ate away at her.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Suddenly, a Monokuma dressed as a priest stood in front of Yami.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>The priest Monokuma took something out.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>It was a bottle of what looked like water.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>The Monokuma splashed the liquid on the burning Yami.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>However the water began to react when it touched Yami.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>It began to melt her skin, causing her to scream.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Soon, her body was reduced to nothing but an unrecognizable mass of flesh and bones.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>The priest Monokuma laughs.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>Arata looked at the scene that displayed on the monitor. He tensed up as he felt something at his side. </p><p>He looked down and discovered that Yuu was hugging his side. He wrapped his arms around the smaller girl. </p><p>"<strong>Wowie! Talk about being on fire and you all call me a liar! This class is full of liars!!</strong>" Monokuma said.</p><p>"Exactly! In fact, a liar is closer than you think. Hehehe~" Hideshi agreed. "Am I right Yuu-chan?"</p><p>The mystery boy approached the small girl, who had pulled away from Arata and was now facing Hideshi.</p><p>'<em>How did he stay conscious while watching the execution?</em>'</p><p>"What....do you...mean...?" Yuu asked, her voice trembling slightly.</p><p>Was that...fear in her voice?</p><p>Hideshi smiled. The look on his face was sickeningly smug.</p><p>"Don't act like you don't know. You've been lying to everyone since we've met you. However, I knew who you were since day one." Hideshi said, slowly approaching Yuu.</p><p>Arata was about to intervene when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and was surprised to see Kichino standing there.</p><p>"Wait." The Luckster said.</p><p>Arata looked back at the scene in front of him.</p><p>"What do you...know about...me?" Yuu asked. </p><p>The girl was trembling.</p><p>"I know everything about you. I know what happened to you. I know what you really are." Hideshi said.</p><p>The boy ended up backing the girl against the wall. He put his face close to hers.</p><p>"Your secret is out, <strong>Yuu-chan, The Ultimate Human Test Subject</strong>." Hideshi said.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>To read a better and pictured version of this story with better graphics and gameplay, go read it on my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. What Dwells Within Your Heart?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>"Atsu-san! Lock the door and move some of the desks in front of it! Theo-san! Help him out!" Arata instructed. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The two boys nodded. Atsu locked the door then he and Theo moved a few desk in front of it. Since they were the two strongest students in the room, it was only them who could do the job effectively.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Don't worry Yuu-chan, we won't let them take you back." Arata said, looking at the small girl that was curled up in the corner of the classroom. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Yeah! Don't worry I'll protect you!" Hideshi exclaimed proudly. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Not the time, Hideshi-san!" Kotori shouted.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata watched as his classmates hurried around the room. All sixteen of them were in here, and they all had the same objective: Protect Yuu.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Are you sure this is a good idea!? These are literally trained military people from the Japanese government." Sora said, panicking.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Koharu placed a hand on Sora's shoulder.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I have honestly no idea what will happen, but that's the fun in finding out the future." The historian said, although her voice was shaky.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Kichino-kun! You are the most economically powerful one in this room! Can you not do something about this!?" Yami asked.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I am lucky, but I am not a god. There is only so much I can do, Yami-san." Kichino said, quietly</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Okay!! I call being the first to jump out the window!!" Kanon shouted.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"A-At this rate, w-we might ha-ha-have t-to." Riku said, quickly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"We can't. It's most likely that they have the entire school surrounded." Sara said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Ren slung his arm over Riku's shoulders. He was still smiling like usual.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Everyone, lets just take a moment to calm down. I'm sure this will all work out in the end." Ren said, calmly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Riku pushed his glasses up and took a deep breath.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You're...r-right. We j-just need to-to have f-faith i-in the s-system." Riku stuttered.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Haru had remained in the back of the classroom. Her puppet was looking around the frazzled group of students.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Yuu-chan, are you feeling lightheaded again?" Yukio asked, kneeling beside the small girl.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yuu didn't respond. That gave him his answer. Yukio took a syringe out of his pocket and held out his hand to Yuu. She seemed to know what this meant. She held out her arm to the mad scientist and he gently took it. He injected the liquid into her arm and pulled the syringe away. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"This is my newest formula. Let me know if it has any side effects!" Yukio said. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata jumped at the sound of knocking.</em>
</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>Arata was jerked out of his dreamscape by the sound of someone knocking on his door. He looked over at his dresser, where Theo's sword and Sora's scarf sat. Additionally, he had placed Kanon's headphones down with them. He sighed and lugged himself out of the bed. </p><p>Monokuma had replaced all of their sheets and blankets once the trial was over. </p><p>Arata reached out and opened his door. </p><p>"Hey Arata-kun. You didn't come to breakfast so I thought you overslept." Ren said.</p><p>Arata looked over at the clock on his wall. He widened his eyes slightly. </p><p>'<em>10:37am?! I missed the morning announcement!</em>'</p><p>"Sorry...I guess I was kind of out of it..." Arata apologized.</p><p>Ren smiled and waved his hands dismissively.</p><p>"Don't apologize, Arata-kun. You didn't do anything wrong. Oh! I've got an idea. Why don't you come with me to drop these off at Kazuno-san and Zenaku-san's rooms." Ren offered.</p><p>Arata looked at the botanists arms and noticed he was carrying a few flowers. </p><p>'<em>Ah, so just like last time. It is a tradition to leave flowers on the desks of those who have passed away.</em>'</p><p>"Okay. By the way, where is Riku-san? I barely see you two not together." Arata said.</p><p>"Riku-chan is in his room. He won't open the door, but I understand that he needs time." Ren replied.</p><p>Arata nodded. He stepped out of his room and closed the door behind him.</p><p>"Are you gonna tell me about why you picked them out when we get there?" Arata asked.</p><p>Ren chuckled and began to walk. Arata followed.</p><p>"Only if you want to know." Ren answered.</p><p>~</p><p>The two boys made it to the girls dormitory. </p><p>Arata followed Ren to one of the doors. He looked up and read the nameplate.</p><p>Kanon Kazuno.</p><p>Ren opened the door soundlessly and the botanist entered, followed by Arata. </p><p>The survivor watched as the boy approached the desk. He glanced over at Arata.</p><p>"Would you like to hear about them, Arata-kun?" Ren asked, giving a friendly smile.</p><p>Arata nodded and approached the desk, standing beside Ren.</p><p>Ren took one of the flowers that was in his arms and held it out in front of him. </p><p>"This is a chrysanthemum. They come in a variety of colors, but they are most commonly known to be a light pink color. I chose this one especially for her. In the Language of Flowers, a chrysanthemum means 'cheerfulness'. I thought it would suit her well. She always knew how to make us laugh when we needed it most. It was so hard to feel sad when her cheerful persona was there." Ren said.</p><p>Arata watched as Ren placed the flower down on the wooden desk. The botanist then held up a second flower.</p><p>"This is a white heather flower. It sometimes can be found during a wedding or at a baby shower. This flower means 'Wishes will come true'. I like to think of it as wishing Kazuno-san luck in the next world. Wishes were made when we were all children. However, we are still children." Ren said, placing the flower down next to the chrysanthemum.</p><p>Arata's eyes grazed over the white petals.</p><p>"Kanon-san told me the same thing. She said that, not matter how we look at it, we're still children. She said we should cherish our childhood for as long as we can, otherwise we won't have any good memories to think back to when we're older." Arata told Ren.</p><p>The botanist chuckled as well at the new information.</p><p>"She certainly is wise in her own way." Ren replied.</p><p>Arata nodded. Ren reached for another flower that was in his arms. He held it out in front of him again.</p><p>"This is an iris flower. It is commonly seen in a variety of different shades of purple. This is a flower that has lots and lots of different meanings. However, I chose this for her because I remembered what it meant. This means 'thank you for your friendship'. No matter what anyone thought about her, she still treated them like a friend. She didn't care what others thought about her because she knew that friends wouldn't judge each other for their flaws. She was very naive but she knows how to handle herself. I wish I could've gotten to know her better." Ren said, trailing off. </p><p>The botanist placed the flower down gently on the desk. He remained staring at them with a smile before he turned to the door. </p><p>"If you want, I can give you a few minutes alone." Ren offered.</p><p>Arata nodded, appreciating the gesture. He watched as Ren left him alone in the room. He returned his gaze to the flowers that sat on the desk in front of him. </p><p>"Kanon...you're such a crazy bitch" he began.</p><p>"..I think that was your best trait. Everyone could use a friend like you. Your happiness can be contagious sometimes...and.....I wish I could've gotten to know you better. I don't even know if you can hear me, but I'm gonna take your headphones with me. When we all get out of here, I'm gonna find your mom and I'm gonna give them to her, so that she'll never forget about you. So...bye..." Arata finished. </p><p>He turned to the door and exited the room after that. </p><p>——————————————————————</p><p>
  <em>She watched the survivor leave the room. Her smile couldn't get any bigger. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Thanks, Arata-chan. Now go win this game."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She felt a pang of sadness in her heart.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Awesome......Don't worry about me, Mom. I'll be waiting for you."</em>
</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>Ren opened the door to Yami's room. Just like before, he walked up to the desk and stood in front of it. The botanist waited for Arata to enter as well.</p><p>Then, Ren took one of the flowers out of his arms and set it down in the center of the desk.</p><p>"This is a holly plant. It's commonly used as a symbol for Christmas. But, it has a very prominent meaning. It symbolizes protection and defense. The edges of the leaves on this plant are sharp. They make it so animals don't eat the plant. In the process, these leaves also protect the berries that are in the center of the plant. It seemed like a right choice for Zenaku-san." Ren explained. </p><p>Arata stared down at the festive plant that lay on the desk. </p><p>"She was always ready to protect us when we were threatened by Monokuma. And when she was cornered during the trial her defense had risen." Arata said.</p><p>It didn't feel right to him. It felt like he was describing a game character. He was broken from his thoughts as Ren took another flower and placed it down on the desk.</p><p>"This is an Anemone. It's a very simple flower and usually displays a white color with a tint of yellow towards the center. This flower has a very tragic meaning to it. It means 'Forsaken'." Ren said.</p><p>Arata looked at the flower. For some reason, he felt anger. Before he could say anything, Ren took out the last flower.</p><p>"This is a a Horse-Chestnut flower. It has quite an amusing appearance. They're said to have been given to heroic people such as knights, wishing them luck on their missions. This flower means 'seek justice'. Regarding her past, I don't know a thing, but I do know that she suffered. Because of that, she sought justice." Ren said. </p><p>Once he finished talking, Ren placed the flower down. He looked down at them for a moment, just like he had done in Kanon's room. Then, he began to leave. </p><p>"I'll wait outside for you, Arata-kun. Take as much time as you need." Ren said, smiling as he exited the room.</p><p>Arata stared down at the flowers with a blank expression.</p><p>"Damnit...why did you have to kill her Yami-san? Did it have to do with the whole believing that we were demons thing? I don't understand you...." </p><p>He sighed.</p><p>"Protection and Defense, Forsaken, and seek justice. These all sound like you. And even after all this. I still didn't get to thank you. For forcing me into a leadership role. I don't know why...but I guess I like having people look up to me." </p><p>Arata turned his head to the right, not looking at anything in particular.</p><p>"You were a good person Yami Zenaku. Thank you for trying to make the world a better place. But...maybe you should learn to trust others more. Then maybe we could've been friends." </p><p>After that, he turned and left the room.</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>
  <em>She reached out for the boy as he left the room. She couldn't reach him. He wouldn't be able to see her. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Arata-kun...I do not deserve your forgiveness...nor do I deserve gods forgiveness." She said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tears streamed down her cheeks. She looks towards the flowers that were placed down on her desk. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Oh...why have I done this...they weren't possessed...I was....mistaken....I'm a monster..." She said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She clenched her fist and wiped her face.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I must continue. I shall aid my comrades from the afterlife. Mother...I cannot be with you....i am sorry...but I have one last job to do." She whispered.</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>For a better and fully pictured version of this story, go read it on my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47.</p><p>PLEASE read THIS AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHTFBIRFVJTRGUTVHNORFYCYKNI</p><p>(Did that get your attention?)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. The Circus Of The Dead</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>2:30 pm.</p><p>"Yuu-chan? Please open the door." Arata said, knocking on the door.</p><p>He'd been knocking and trying to get her to answer for about ten minutes now. His hand was starting to hurt. </p><p>Arata sighed and leaned himself against the door. He looked up at the white ceiling. </p><p>"Listen, I know that you don't wanna talk about your talent. From what it sounds like, it was beyond your control. But...I think...you can find comfort with me...cause I'm more similar to you than you think. So can you open the door?" Arata asked.</p><p>He turned and placed his hand against the wooden door. He squeezed his eyes shut.</p><p>"...please..." He whispered.</p><p>Almost as if he had said the password, the doorknob clicked and the door creaked open to reveal the Ultimate Human Test Subject. Arata scanned her body briefly. She was scared of him right now. He could tell. He had seen that look before, almost too much.</p><p>"Can I...come in?" Arata finally asked.</p><p>Yuu quickly shook her head. </p><p>"I can't...trust you...or anybody....after all...you'll just...hurt me....right?" Yuu said quietly. </p><p>"You can trust me. I wasn't lying when I said we're similar. More than you know. So...can we just talk..?" Arata said.</p><p>Yuu looked at the boy in disbelief. No. It wasn't disbelief. She looked like she wanted to trust him...but she just....couldn't. </p><p>"Alright, I know you're gonna hate me for this, but we have to talk." Arata said.</p><p>He pushed past Yuu stopped in the center of her room. He obviously wasn't going to leave until he got some answers. She sighed in defeat and slowly closed her door. Arata couldn't help but notice how weak she looked at the moment. Even the way that she closed the door wasn't even using as much effort as she could be.</p><p>Arata sighed and leaned against the side of the bed. He looked over at Yuu with pleading eyes.</p><p>"What do you...want to know...?" Yuu asked.</p><p>Arata took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment.</p><p>"Why did you hide your talent from everyone?" Arata asked.</p><p>"They told me...to...hide my talent...or people would ask...questions." Yuu answered.</p><p>Arata nodded.</p><p>"Who's 'they'?" Arata said, mostly to himself.</p><p>"I don't know....what they're...called...But they put...me in...Soaring Heights...with that fake talent. So I...wasn't really...lying..." Yuu murmured.</p><p>Her legs wobbled slightly and then they ultimately gave out beneath her. Arata was quick to catch the small girl and hoist her into the bed. He stood a couple feet away from her.</p><p>"What kind of stuff did 'they' do to you? It must have been a lot if that made you an Ultimate." Arata pointed out.</p><p>"They said...something about...the Izuru Kamakura Project...a collaboration...with...Hope's Peak...Academy....trying to give me...a lot of talents...but...they failed...so far...but they made me an Ultimate...because I'm the only one...who has...survived their tests...so far....that's why....they kept me...and they sent me here...so that...I can learn things...that they...couldn't teach me..." Yuu said, softly.</p><p>Arata paused as he heard the name. Izuru Kamakura Project? He's heard of that before. His mentor told him something about it. Apparently, it was a project that was trying to give a normal person all the talents in the world, making them the Ultimate Hope.</p><p>"So...you survived...just like me, huh?" Arata asked.</p><p>"Huh?" Yuu looked at him in confusion.</p><p>"As you know, I'm the Ultimate Survivor. I'll tell you about my past, since you told me about yours. It's only fair, right?" Arata said.</p><p>Yuu sat up on the bed. Her arms struggled to hold her body up.</p><p>"You don't...need to..." she said, her eyes reflecting guilt.</p><p>Arata shook his head.</p><p>"I want to. I just want to prove that I trust you. I never tell anyone about my past, so I really trust you." Arata said, smiling.</p><p>Yuu lowered her eyes, seemingly unable to argue anymore.</p><p>"Alright..." she muttered.</p><p>Arata smiled sadly.</p><p>"When I was just a baby, I was kidnapped by an elderly couple. They killed my parents in the process, although, I don't think they meant to. After that, for five years, they managed to raise me as their own child without being caught by the police. But, a detective took up the case, which was dubbed as a cold case, and figured out that the two were behind the murder and probably still had me. The day that the police came to arrest them, the two elderly people brought me up to their attic and they lit the house on fire. I guess they wanted us to all die together. But I survived. I don't know how, but it must have been some miracle. But I got horrible burns from it." Arata explained.</p><p>The survivor removed his blazer and rolled up his black shirts sleeve. It revealed a large burn scar, that continued until it disappeared under his shirt. He rolled his sleeve back down and put his blazer back on. He cringed as he saw the horrified looked Yuu's face. Of course, he was used to it.</p><p>"A year or two after that, apparently some organization heard of what happened to me and they ended up kidnapping me. They were a secret organization that trained kids to be Ultimate's, illegally of course. They wanted to train me to be an Ultimate. They put me through many tests and trials to test my durability and I suffered a lot of pain. One day, I would lose a lethal amount of blood, then the next, I would be refilled and forced into another test. This continued till I was fourteen years old. The police ended up finding the base of operations of the people who kidnapped me. They rescued me and all the kids in there as well. I was put into an orphanage after that. I was given a mentor, to teach me things that I didn't know, since I was isolated for many years of my life. Then, I received a letter from Soaring Heights High School. It said that they had accepted me into their school with the title of Ultimate Survivor. So I guess in the end, my kidnappers got what they wanted. I was going to trash the letter when one of the kids at my orphanage saw it. They said that this school had one of the most successful educational ranks in all of Japan. Since my education was still not as good as it could've been, I accepted it. And now, we're here..." Arata trailed off.</p><p>He noticed that Yuu was staring at him with wide eyes.</p><p>"Arata-chan...I never knew...my family....I grew up in....that place...and when I was...old enough....they started testing me..." Yuu said.</p><p>Arata's face softened as he looked at the girl. He wondered how she could have made it this far. She was so weak and vulnerable. An easy target.</p><p>"Why don't I become your family?" Arata asked.</p><p>Yuu tipped her head to the side, obviously confused by the question.</p><p>"I mean, when we get out of here, I'll be like your brother. You don't have to go back to 'them' anymore. I can tell you don't like what they're doing to you. So you can live with me. I can be your brother." Arata explained.</p><p>Yuu stared at the survivor with wide eyes. She said nothing. Arata watched as Yuu moved forwards and wrapped her arms around him. She was just hugging him. He wrapped his arms around her as well. They both sat in silence. Not a word was said, and they were both fine with that.</p><p>"Do you...promise?" Yuu asked, after what seemed like a long time.</p><p>He paused.</p><p>"I promise, Yuu-chan."</p><p>Yuu didn't respond. She just continued to hug him. After a moment, Arata noticed that her breathing became softer. He gently pulled the girl away from him and looked at her face. Yep. She was asleep. He made sure that he wouldn't wake her up and he laid her down on the bed. He pulled the covers over her so that she wouldn't get cold. </p><p>Then, Arata turned to leave the girls room. As he closed the door behind him, he pulled out his Monopad. He checked the time.</p><p>'<em>4:27 pm. What should I do now?</em>'</p><p>Arata looked down at the Monopad. He took a double take. Third floor map!? Did the gate on the second floor staircase opened up?!</p><p>Arata raced out of the girls dormitory and took a hard left. He raced up the stairs to the second floor and then took a hard right.</p><p>Sure enough, the gate that once stood there was gone. He began to take his first step up the staircase when a voice came from behind him.</p><p>"Hey, Arata-san. What are you- wait? The third floor is open now!?" Atsu asked in confusion.</p><p>He turned to the tall boy and nodded.</p><p>"From what I can tell, it just opened up." Arata said.</p><p>"Arata-san? Atsu-san? What's-" </p><p>Koharu, who had just rounded the corner, looked at the newly opened stairwell in shock.</p><p>"Oh my. This is gonna get me killed." She murmured.</p><p>"Huh? What're you talking about, Koharu-chan? We were just gonna go see what was on the third floor." Atsu said, giving the girl a weak smile.</p><p>Koharu looked from the left to the right.</p><p>"Oh...Oh! Okay. I wasn't talking to you. I was just thinking out loud. Don't mind me!" Koharu said, talking faster than the two boys could comprehend.</p><p>"Hey, Koharu-chan, do you want to join us?" Atsu asked.</p><p>'<em>Us?</em>'</p><p>The historian shot a death glare at the swindler. If looks could kill, Atsu would be dead. It didn't take a genius to guess that there was bad blood between them.</p><p>"Um...I'm gonna...go now. You guys can follow if you want to." Arata said, turning to go up the stairs.</p><p>He heard a scuffled behind him as he walked up the stairs, followed by violent whispering. Once he made it to the top of the steps, he spun around to look at the two, a little bit abruptly. Both of their reactions were similar.</p><p>"Whoa! Shit!" Atsu shouted, falling backwards.</p><p>"Aaauughh!!" Koharu yelled and fell backwards as well.</p><p>They both got to their feet quickly and stared at Arata.</p><p>"Why did you do that!? That easily took ten years off my lifespan." Koharu said, placing her hand over her heart.</p><p>"Yeah, you kinda scared us. Never knew a turn could be so surprising." Atsu said, chuckling awkwardly.</p><p>Arata rolled his eyes as continued moving. In front of him, he could see a metal door. It looked like something important was behind it. How did he know? Simple. He didn't.</p><p>He reached out and grabbed the metal handle and gently opened the door. It was dark inside.</p><p>Suddenly, the lights flashed on, leaving Arata and the other two momentarily blinded. When his eyes adjusted, he couldn't believe what he saw.</p><p>(Walls upon walls of knives. Different shapes and sizes. From different cultures too. There were just such a vast majority of them everywhere they looked)</p><p>"Dear lord. What kind of school is this?" Koharu asked as she looked around the room in horror.</p><p>Atsu looked horrified and fascinated at the same time. He approached a case of swords and gazed at them.</p><p>"These things are the real deal. I've seen a few in my shop. I know how to tell the difference between the real and fake ones." Atsu explained.</p><p>Arata wandered around the room, gazing at the different varieties of handheld weapons. He noticed that there were two different doorways between the shelves. The two spaces led into two different rooms each. </p><p>Arata continued into the room and turned to the right. He walked through the doorless doorway and was utterly bewildered by what he saw.</p><p>(Land mines. Grenades, dynamite, any explosive that you can think of, was right there in the next room)</p><p>"Holy shit. Are these all explosives? Land mines, grenades, bombs, dynamite." Arata said, mostly to himself. </p><p>Was this school in the middle of preparing for a war or something? This seemed beyond excessive for Ultimates. Especially since most of them were only teenagers. Did some of the people have talents related to this stuff?</p><p>A voice spoke up from the back of his mind.</p><p>'"Um...I think I remember. She's Sara Ikeda, the Ultimate Markswoman...I think."'</p><p>Ultimate Markswoman. He had to keep an eye on her. </p><p>He turned back to the other room, deciding to go the other way that he had seen before. The opening to the left of the knife room. </p><p>This time, Koharu and Atsu followed him into the next room. And still, the contents managed to surprise all three of them.</p><p>(Many many many many many MANY different guns. So many it was hard to describe because the authors hand is cramping)</p><p>"Oh my goodness. Why would this school need this many guns?! Are the Ultimates in this school that reckless that they'll end up breaking it?!" Koharu ask, panicking.</p><p>Arata looked off to the right. There was another room? What else could there be in this messed up school?</p><p>He was about to head over to the forth room when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned back to look at Atsu, who had his gaze focused elsewhere. Arata followed it and soon came to realize what he was looking at.</p><p>"You..." Arata grumbled. </p><p>"<strong>Wowie! That's the look of a cold blooded killer! I see you three are the first to find the armory. Don't be afraid to take stuff for yourself! That's why this is here after all. Can't have a killing game without the proper preparations. Everything a bear could need is here! From machine guns to pocket knives! It's all here!</strong>" Monokuma said proudly.</p><p>"Why are you here? Haven't you caused us enough despair yet you sadistic plushie." Koharu spat.</p><p>Within seconds, Monokuma had grabbed one of the guns off of the wall and pointed it at Koharu.</p><p>"<strong>You better watch your tongue, you bastard!</strong>" Monokuma said.</p><p>Koharu was frozen in fear. Her body was trembling and she didn't look like she could function. Arata stepped in front of Monokuma's gun. He still had his unmovable poker face.</p><p>"You aren't gonna shoot. It's against your own rules. You even said that you can't directly attack a student unless they attacked you first. Koharu-san didn't attack you." Arata said firmly. </p><p>Monokuma looked completely ready and willing to pull the trigger on the Ultimate Survivor. He looked completely pissed. He suddenly dropped the gun and disappeared. </p><p>'<em>How does he even do that?</em>'</p><p>"Arata-san? What were you thinking!?! He could've killed you." Koharu exclaimed.</p><p>Arata shook his head and approached the gun that Monokuma dropped on the ground.</p><p>"He wouldn't have pulled the trigger, but even if he did..." Arata began.</p><p>Arata picked up the gun and opened the barrel. </p><p>It was empty.</p><p>"...He would've fired nothing." Arata finished.</p><p>He closed the barrel and placed the gun back on the shelf. He looked back at the two whom were staring at him in utter shock.</p><p>"When did you become so badass?" Atsu asked, jokingly.</p><p>Arata simply shrugged it off. He continued towards the forth room. He could tell that the other two were gonna stick close to him after that. </p><p>He became aware of a strange odor as he entered the forth room. He looked around him.</p><p>The room was full of different colored bottles. Different sizes and different shapes. He approached one of the shelves and picked up a brown bottle. It didn't take him long to figure it out what it was.</p><p>(Bottles. Small bottles. Different bottles, but they all held the same looming death in them. Poison.)</p><p>"We need to leave. This room is full of poison. It could affect our lungs if we aren't protected." Arata said.</p><p>The three students made their way to the nearest door, and they found themselves on the opposite side of where they started. </p><p>"We should probably find a way to block off those rooms as soon as possible. We don't know what everyone else could do with them," Arata stated.</p><p>"Do you not trust our classmates?" Koharu asked.</p><p>Arata sighed.</p><p>"I don't. Then again, I don't trust anyone, but that's irrelevant. We can't just leave them for the taking. Especially not around a bunch of Ultimate students." Arata explained effectively.</p><p>He turned and continued walking down the hall until he reached another metal door. There was a small, square shaped window that was too foggy to see through. </p><p>Arata gripped the doorknob and threw open the door.</p><p>(A dark room with large draws lining the walls. It was very very cold)</p><p>He shivered as cold air hit his skin. He hesitantly walked into the room. The wall was covered in...drawers? </p><p>"This place feels eerie. Why do I feel like we aren't supposed to be here?" Koharu said.</p><p>Arata didn't answer. He approached one of the drawers that was labeled with the number 1. He grabbed the handle and pulled out the drawer. His eyes widened as he saw it. He quickly slammed the drawer shut once more.</p><p>He looked down at his trembling hands.</p><p>"Arata-san? What's wrong with you? You're shaking." Koharu said, approaching Arata.</p><p>"That bear...."</p><p>"Arata-san...? What's wrong? You're getting kinda pale.." Atsu said.</p><p>Arata was still trembling. A shadow had fallen over his visible eye. His teeth were clenched as well as his fists.</p><p>"Everyone who's died, they're here. Monokuma put their bodies here like their corpses are his prize." He said, coldly.</p><p>"Oh my god..." Koharu said, covering her mouth in shock.</p><p>Without warning, Arata turned and pushed past the two people who were standing by, watching him. He was done looking around this floor. He needed to take a break. He began to head back down to his room, pushing past a few other people.</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>6:30 pm.</p><p>Kotori watched as Arata descended the stairs. From what she saw, the boy was pissed off. She could tell from looking at his posture.</p><p>Kichino was behind her, having been dragged to the third floor by the girl. The Ultimates watched as the survivor descended the stairs before they continued onto the third floor. </p><p>Hideshi zoomed ahead of the group. He obviously didn't see the wall as he ended up smashing into it.</p><p>"Ow~" Hideshi said.</p><p>Kotori raised her eyebrow at the kid that was now on the ground. </p><p>"Mm-hm. And what did we learn today?" Kotori asked, faking a mom voice.</p><p>"Uh...don't run into walls?" Hideshi guessed.</p><p>Kotori shrugged.</p><p>"Close enough. Now get up." Kotori said, holding out a hand to him.</p><p>Hideshi reluctantly took and Kotori hoisted him to his feet. </p><p>"What are you two doing here? Are you the reason that Katsune-san stormed off down the stairs?" Kichino questioned.</p><p>Kotori searched for who The Luckster was talking to. It was Atsu and Koharu. </p><p>"No! We didn't do anything! It was that weird bear thing!" Koharu answered quickly.</p><p>Atsu nodded to confirm it.</p><p>"Anyways, did you guys already explore up here? Can you tell us what you found?" Kotori requested.</p><p>Both Atsu and Koharu looked at each other with a worried expression, as if they were contemplating telling a secret to their best friend. </p><p>"Um...we found a morgue...where Monokuma has been keeping the bodies of the dead students" Atsu explained wearily.</p><p>Hideshi widened his eyes at the swindlers explanation.</p><p>"What!? Why is he keeping things like those in the school! It's gonna stink!" Hideshi exclaimed.</p><p>"Wow, you're an asshole. Is that the only thing you're worried about?" Kotori asked.</p><p>"Did you find anything else that might be of use to us? Or you both as useless as your talents infer?" Kichino asked.</p><p>"Hey! History is a very import part of Japan's culture, along with other places as well! Don't talk down about it! Without history, you wouldn't be able to learn about your family or anything! So get that stick out of your ass and stop acting like you're better than everyone!" Koharu shouted. </p><p>Atsu had to physically hold the girl back to prevent her from possibly destroying Kichino.</p><p>"You make me sick. I'm far better than every single one of the students in this school. I've been taught how to fluently speak in several languages and I've studied far more than any of you can possibly understand. So never compare me to your pitiful little self. You and I may be trapped in this school, but we are not by any means similar." Kichino said.</p><p>Koharu looked like she was about to explode. Atsu had to keep a death grip on her to prevent her from ending the Luckster right then and there.</p><p>"Should you really be one speaking about useless talents?! What kind of talent is luck anyways!?" Koharu spat.</p><p>"It allowed me to rise to the top, which is another reason I am superior to you. I fought to get where I am now. None of you know what true despair is. Not even that bear. Death is just one part of it." Kichino said.</p><p>Koharu seemingly ran out of steam out of that. Atsu hesitantly let her go. She simply adjusted her glasses and stayed silent.</p><p>"Okay, now that no one died, let's split into groups and search this floor. Kenshin-san and Akifumi-san, you both probably already searched so you can show Tweedle Dingus around." Kotori said, pointing to Hideshi.</p><p>"That's fair." Hideshi said, unfazed.</p><p>Atsu sighed and dragged both Koharu and Hideshi in a different direction. </p><p>"Alright, Lucky. Lets take a look around." Kotori said to Kichino</p><p>She looked to her right and saw a wooden door at the end of the hallway. She ignored the metal door in front of her and headed towards the wooden door. </p><p>Kotori looked behind her, to make sure that Kichino was following her. He was.</p><p>When the investigator reached the door, she turned the wooden knob and the door creaked open. </p><p>(Shelves upon shelves of various things. Ranging from toiletries to notebooks)</p><p>"Oh, this must be a storage room. But it's a bit much for a school." Kotori observed.</p><p>She looked to the side and noticed that Kichino was staring at her. Kotori turned towards him and placed a hand on her hip.</p><p>"Is there a reason you're looking at me?" She asked.</p><p>Kichino merely smirked and said nothing. He walked forwards and continued deeper into the storage place. </p><p>Kotori rolled her eyes. She was about to go after him when she heard a faint snapping sound in the hallway. </p><p>"Wait! Lucky, get back here! I heard something!" Kotori shouted after him.</p><p>Kichino turned around and reluctantly made his way back to her. Kotori turned and made her way back into the hallway. She raced towards a metal door that was near where she started. She wasn't ready for the sight that awaited her.</p><p>"Hideshi-kun! Put that down! It could go off!" Koharu yellled.</p><p>Hideshi was standing in a room across from the one they were in. He was holding what looked like a grenade. Atsu was attempting to wrestle it out of his hands, unbeknownst to him, it was just making Hideshi panic more and jerk the object away.</p><p>Kotori took a moment to look around the room they were in. What the? What's with all the knives?!</p><p>'<em>Wait, that's not what's important right now!</em>' She thought.</p><p>"What in the world is happening? Are you idiots trying to get us killed?" Kichino asked.</p><p>
  <em>*click*</em>
</p><p>Everyone watched as the pin that secured their fate fell from the grenade. </p><p>For a few seconds, nobody moved, then...</p><p>It was complete fucking chaos.</p><p>"Shit shit shit shit shit! Whatdoidowithit!?!" Hideshi said, panicking.</p><p>He held the grenade like it was on fire. Then he tossed it to the ground and bolted out of the room and down the stairs. </p><p>Koharu and Atsu weren't far behind. </p><p>Kotori didn't have time to look back as she ran after them.</p><p>Nobody remembered that Kichino was still in the room. </p><p>The Ultimate Luckster approached the grenade that was on the ground. He reached down and picked it up between two fingers. He raised an eyebrow and waited.</p><p>A minute passed.</p><p> </p><p>Nothing.</p><p> </p><p>Two minutes.</p><p> </p><p>Nothing.</p><p> </p><p>Three.</p><p> </p><p>Still nothing.</p><p> </p><p>Kichino smirked as he stared at the grenade.</p><p>"It seems it was a dud. I suppose I really am lucky, aren't I?" The boy said to himself.</p><p>He turned and carelessly tosses the grenade back onto the rack of explosives. He decided that he would continue to explore on his own. He highly preferred it that way.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Please go read this book on my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47. It’s such a better version on Wattpad with pictures, art, and even memes.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Protagonistic Mayhem</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>7:12 pm.</p><p>Kotori arrived at the cafeteria a bit late. She had returned to the third floor after it was clear that the grenade hadn't gone off. She was surprised to find that the grenade was just lying in the same place it had been taken from. </p><p>She finished searching around when the clock struck seven. </p><p>Now she was here. A few of the students were already there. Atsu, Riku, Ren, Haru, and Sara. </p><p>Her gaze settled on the Ultimate Markswoman. She noticed how she was holding her shoulder. Was she in pain? She wouldn't be surprised if Monokuma didn't treat her wound correctly.</p><p>Without hesitation, Kotori walked up to Sara and sat down beside her. In return, she was given a glare of suspicion by the markswoman. </p><p>"Calm down. I'm not gonna do anything. I'm just checking in on you. Is your shoulder okay? You look like your trying to lessen the pain by holding it back like that." Kotori observed.</p><p>Sara looked uncomfortable by the investigators words, leading her to believe that she had guessed correctly.</p><p>"My shoulder is fine. You should care more about yourself than me. So go away." Sara said bluntly.</p><p>Kotori held her hand over her heart, feigning emotional pain.</p><p>"Ow! My heart! How could you have broken it like this?!" Kotori cried, overdramatized.</p><p>Sara glared at her. She said nothing after that. However, Kotori caught the look of pain that flashed in Sara's eyes every time she shifted. </p><p>"You do realize that I'm the Ultimate Investigator. My job is to go above and beyond the natural observation skills of a normal investigator. I've been trained to tell when people are lying or not as well. So let me be the one to tell you that I don't believe a word you said." Kotori said, resting her chin on the palm of her hand.</p><p>Sara raised an eyebrow. She kept her eyes trained on Kotori. They were filled with suspicion and distrust. </p><p>Kotori sighed as she stood up.</p><p>"Alright, lets go." Kotori said, suddenly.</p><p>Sara, however, didn't budge. She simply remained sitting, and probably was now ignoring Kotori.</p><p>"Come on. I'm guessing you don't want to be in pain forever. Plus, if I were to try anything, I'm ninety nine percent sure that you could easily take me out. Even in your current state." Kotori said.</p><p>Sara looked off to the side at what was happening with their other classmates. Was she considering the pros and cons of leaving?</p><p>Hideshi was practically crawling all over Yukio, expressing how they were best friends and they deserved each other. Atsu was attempting to pry Hideshi off of Yukio so that the mad scientist could breathe, since Hideshi was hugging him too tightly.</p><p>Sara sighed and looked back at the investigator. </p><p>"Fine, but only because I can't stand being around all of these idiots. You seem like one of the only ones that are even remotely sane. I guess. Besides Katsune-san." Sara said, absentmindedly.</p><p>Kotori smiled and reached out to grab Sara's hand and led her out of the cafeteria. </p><p>"Are your hands always this clammy?" Kotori asked.</p><p>"Are you always this childish?" </p><p>"No."</p><p>"Then there's your answer." Sara stated.</p><p>-</p><p>Soon, the two were in the infirmary.</p><p>Sara sat down on the infirmity bed. She still held her shoulder. The look on her face made it clear that she was hurting. She watched as Kotori moved back and forth, grabbing different medical supplies.</p><p>The Markswoman jerked back as Kotori appeared in front of her again. </p><p>"Alright, I got all the stuff. Take off your shirt." Kotori said. </p><p>Sara narrowed her eyes at the girl in front of her. She couldn't tell if she was joking or not.</p><p>"Why would I...do that?" Sara asked.</p><p>"Because I need to check the wound on your shoulder and stuff. It's been nearly a week since you were shot and I doubt that Monokuma gave you the proper medical care. Now take off your shirt or I'll strip you myself." Kotori playfully threatened.</p><p>Sara rolled her eyes and pulled her shirt over her head. She set it down beside her and looked back at Kotori. The investigator was just staring at her with wide eyes.</p><p>"Why are you just standing there?" Sara asked.</p><p>Sara was well aware that the bandages on her shoulder were absolutely soaked in blood. </p><p>Kotori gulped and gently reached forwards. The investigator began to unwrap the bandages  in order to change them. Once they were off. She gazed at the wound. </p><p>Monokuma had stitched the wound closed. Although the stitching was messy, it was affective. Dried blood surrounded the bullet wound. </p><p>Sara watched as Kotori took out a bottle of rubbing alcohol and took the top off.</p><p>"Alright, this may burn...a lot." Kotori said.</p><p>Before Sara could say anything else, Kotori dumped practically half of the bottle on Sara's  wound.</p><p>She sucked in air through her teeth as she felt the sharp burning sensation in her shoulder. She shot a death glare at Kotori.</p><p>Kotori chuckled and recapped the bottle. She set it off to the side. The girl grabbed a rag that she had soaked in warm water and began to gently wash the dried blood off of Sara's shoulder.</p><p>Sara grunted from the pressure being put on her shoulder. She remembered the absolute agonizing pain when she woke up when Monokuma was fixing up the wound. He hadn't bothered to knock her out again or give her any painkillers either. </p><p>So the entirety of that operation just consisted of her feeling the pain of a mechanical bear that was threading a needle through her skin. And when he was finished, he didn't even give her time to rest. The bear just tossed her into the infirmary and left her there. </p><p>It took Sara a moment to realize that Kotori was talking to her. She returned her attention to the investigator.</p><p>"Were you...saying something...?" Sara asked.</p><p>Kotori was analyzing her emotional state right now. Sara could tell by the way her eyes never stayed in one place.</p><p>"I was saying: Are you feeling alright? You look like you're about to pass out." Kotori said.</p><p>Sara was uncomfortable with the amount of concern in Kotori's voice.</p><p>"I'm fine...I don't know why you're worrying about me." Sara said.</p><p>"It's because you're my classmate. Along with everyone else, we're in this together. I can't have you dying on me." Kotori said. </p><p>Kotori grabbed a roll of bandages and began to wrap it around the wound. Once Kotori finished, Sara pulled her shirt back on. She experimentally moved her arm back and forth, testing the results of the medical cleanup. She still felt pain, but it wasn't as bad as it was before. </p><p>Sara stood up then proceeded to leave the room. Before she left, she mumbled a quick 'thank you' to the investigator.</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>Riku watched as the Ultimate Swindler finally managed to pry Hideshi off of Yukio. He himself had been sitting in the back of the cafeteria. He was now mindlessly tapping away at his Monopad. He couldn't get the recent events off of his mind.</p><p>"Hey, Riku-chan. What are you doing back here? Everyone else is still scolding Nakashima-kun for almost making Samuru-kun pass out." Ren said.</p><p>The botanist took a seat next to the assistant. Riku felt a bit of reassurance with Ren sitting with him. </p><p>"I-i'd...ra-rather not g-get in their w-w-way..." Riku said.</p><p>He continued tapping away at his Monopad but he couldn't ignore the look of concern that Ren was giving him.</p><p>"Now now, you aren't in anyone's way. I'm sure that everyone would enjoy your company as much as I do." Ren reassured. </p><p>Riku blushed and readjusted his glasses. </p><p>"Th-thanks..B-But I'll b-be here...I ne-nee-need to...f-figure ou-ou-t some w-way to he-help everyone...A-Arata-kun and Kaminaga-san h-have b-been doing the m-most in the c-class trials. I don't k-know much abo-about t-that stuff so I'm t-trying to he-help in a-any way I c-can..." Riku explained.</p><p>Ren nodded and gave Riku a reassuring smile. </p><p>"I think you've doing the best you can. You found a few things on the Monopad. And you've been a great help in the class trials. I can tell that you're doubting yourself, Riku-chan. You should believe in yourself. Don't succumb to your talent just because that's what everyone wants from you. If you aren't happy, then do something that'll make you happy. For me, taking walks through the indoor garden is calming and puts my mind at ease." Ren said, placing a comforting hand on the other boys shoulder.</p><p>Riku sighed and smiled weakly.</p><p>"D-Don't worry...I'm happy t-to help ev-ever-everyone...it's the l-least I can d-do." Riku stuttered.</p><p>Ren chuckled and got out of his chair. He moved forwards and hugged the assistant. Riku was frozen for a second before hugging him back. </p><p>'<em>I'm glad we were able to become friends.</em>' Riku thought.</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>Haru stared down at the ground. Her puppet continued to lecture Hideshi.</p><p>"What on earth were you thinking?! You could've killed him! And everyone would've known it was you too!" The puppet pointed out.</p><p>"I told you I didn't want to kill him! Why would I kill my soul friend!? We're practically inseparable!" Hideshi exclaimed.</p><p>"We are not soul friends, Nakashima-san. I've made it clear that I want nothing to do with you. But for some reason, you still continue to pursue me." Yukio said.</p><p>"Because we're meant to be, man! I know it! It's just one of those gut feelings!" Hideshi said.</p><p>Haru still remained unmoved by everything that is going on around her. Her puppet was looking back and forth at all the students.</p><p>"Hey, are you okay, Haru-san? You're never usually this quiet....well...you know what I mean." Koharu said.</p><p>Haru still didn't look up. However, her puppet looked surprised.</p><p>"Really?! We didn't realize. Do you want us to talk more?" The puppet asked.</p><p>"No no, I'm just asking if you're okay." Koharu said.</p><p>"That's very nice of you! Haru-chan is fine! We are just tired!"  The puppet explained.</p><p>Koharu nodded and didn't press any further.</p><p>'<em>Where's Arata-chan? He's never usually not here.</em>'</p><p>"Hey, Koharu-san! Do you know where Arata-chan is? Is he asleep?" The puppet asked.</p><p>Koharu's face became guilty before she looked away from Haru.</p><p>"Y-Yeah. We explored the third floor and he was tired afterwards. He's probably in his room. I wouldn't bother him." Koharu said.</p><p>Haru slowly looked up at the historian. Once the two girls met eyes, Koharu looked utterly terrified.</p><p>"Awe, Where did my beloved Yuki-chan go?" Hideshi cried.</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>Yukio continued to run away from the cafeteria. He was at his limit with interaction for the day. He pulled his hat down over his eyes. </p><p>Somehow, he made his way near the entrance of the pool. He sighed against his mask. </p><p>"Samuru-san? Hm, good enough. Come with me." </p><p>Yukio was surprised by Kichino's sudden appearance. The Luckster grabbed his arm and began dragging him in the direction of the library. </p><p>"Wait a moment! Why me?! I'm not good to be around in a quiet setting!" Yukio explained quickly.</p><p>"I do not care. I have something to show you." Kichino said. </p><p>Yukio cried out as he was yanked into the library. He looked back to see Kichino shut the library door behind them.</p><p>"Are you going to kill me?! Please don't! I beg of you!! I am not good enough for you to kill!!!" Yukio said, practically bowing to the other boy.</p><p>"Cease your chatter. I wouldn't dirty my hands with your common bloodline. At least, not unless I have to." Kichino said.</p><p>Yukio looked up at the boy, still very fearful. He slowly got to his feet and hugged his arms to his sides. </p><p>"Then why did you bring me here, Shinobu-sama?" Yukio asked.</p><p>Kichino turned and walked towards a bookshelf on the right wall. He leaned in and examined the third shelf. He reached out and pressed something.</p><p>Yukio widened his eyes as the bookshelf swung open like a door. He slowly approached it and peeked inside.</p><p>The room was too dark to see into fully. </p><p>Yukio flinched as Kichino turned the flashlight on his Monopad on. </p><p>"Do you have your Monopad as well?" Kichino asked.</p><p>"Um...yes. I believe so..." Yukio said.</p><p>"That was a yes or no question. One word would have been enough." </p><p>The Luckster walked into the dark room. Yukio followed soon after. He turned the flashlight on his Monopad on and shone it in front of him. </p><p>There was a door on the opposite end of the room and was covered in several locks. He shined the light to his left and counted the five pillars on that side of the room. He looked over to the right and counted five more pillars.</p><p>"Why would this kind of place be here? Is this an exit? Why have to tell the everyon-"</p><p>"No." Kichino interrupted.</p><p>"Huh? Why not? This could be the way out!" Yukio argued.</p><p>"Because this could be something else entirely. Watch closely." Kichino said.</p><p>Yukio watched as the other boy pulled something shiny and silver out of his pocket. He shined the light on it.</p><p>"Is that...Zenaku-san's....necklace...?" Yukio asked.</p><p>Kichino didn't answer. He walked to the right side of the room and counted to the forth pedestal. He gently laid the necklace down on it.</p><p>There was a loud cranking noise as the pedestal dipped lower. A line that led from the pedestal to the door lit up red. One of the locks on the door clicked open. </p><p>Yukio widened his eyes at the scene. </p><p>"I don't...understand..." Yukio muttered to himself.</p><p>"Tsk. Of course you don't. I don't expect your underdeveloped brain to comprehend what is happening." Kichino sighed.</p><p>The Luckster took the necklace back in his hands and the pedestal returned to its original position. The lock on the door clicked shut once more.</p><p>"Lets go." Kichino said, exiting the dark room.</p><p>Yukio scuttled after him. He watched as Kichino closed the bookcase door so that the entrance was hidden one more.</p><p>"Why did you show me that?" Yukio questioned.</p><p>"I just thought it to be wise to show someone else my findings. Unfortunately, I saw you first." Kichino explained. </p><p>The Luckster opened the library doors and looked back at Yukio.</p><p>"Now, get out. I've had enough of you." Kichino ordered.</p><p>Yukio clenched his teeth and exited the library. He heard the door close behind him. </p><p>'<em>I should've killed him...</em>' </p><p>Yukio widened his eyes at the sudden thought. Where did that thought come from!? He gripped the sides of his head and began to chuckle against his mask.</p><p>"Amazing...I can...dissect them....No!" Yukio said.</p><p>'<em>It's only a matter of time...</em>'</p><p>"Haha....HAHAHAHAHHAHA!!!!!!!" Yukio broke into hysterical laughter.</p><p>- </p><p>Kichino stared down at the silver cross necklace in his hands. He closed his fist around it and sighed.</p><p>"Who were you to me...Yami Zenaku...?"</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>8:27 pm.</p><p>Yuu collapsed at the top of the staircase. She hadn't accounted for being this tired when she reached the third floor. Her legs hurt and she felt her stomach beginning to cramp up.</p><p>She forced herself to keep moving. She wanted to prove to herself that she didn't need anyone else to help her. </p><p>She saw a metal door in front of her. Okay. She would start there. Exploring shouldn't be that hard, right?</p><p>Yuu stumbled towards the door and placed her hand on the cold metal door handle. She turned it. It took all of her will power to push the door open. </p><p>When she was inside, she noticed two things. The first was that the room was full of sharp objects. Cool. The second thing she noticed was someone looking at her and standing next to one of the sword displays.</p><p>"Oh! I didn't expect to see you here, Yuu-san." Atsu said, nervously.</p><p>"Me...either...but why are...you here...?" Yuu asked, yawning.</p><p>"Oh um...I'm just...looking at these swords! Some of them are pretty old. I can tell just from looking. Others are made as replicas. I guess you could say I'm here to admire them." Atsu explained. </p><p>Yuu could barely keep up with the boys words. She looked off to the side when the boy was halfway through his explanation. She always had a hard time focusing on things. </p><p>"Yuu-san? Are you alright? You look...how should I say...hungry?" Atsu said.</p><p>Yuu blinked slowly and tilted her head to the side. </p><p>"I've got an idea. How about I bring you down to the cafeteria? I take it that you didn't eat at all today." Atsu said.</p><p>Yuu thought about it for a moment. Did she not eat today? Oh yeah... she remembered what Hideshi did. </p><p>'<em>I guess that's why...I hid in my room...</em>'</p><p>"No...I don't....wanna..." Yuu mumbled.</p><p>Atsu nodded and approached Yuu. Since he was much more taller than her, he knelt down in front of her.</p><p>"That's fine. But you should still eat. I have a little sister that I always take care of. You know, you remind me a lot of her." Atsu trailed off, smiling sadly.</p><p>Yuu stared at the Ultimate Swindler in confusion. </p><p>"Ah, Sorry sorry...I guess I started rambling...but how about I take you to your room instead?" Atsu suggested.</p><p>Yuu became dizzy. She knew she had pushed her limits for that day. Even though she did practically nothing. Her legs gave out and she collapsed into Atsu. He widened his eyes and caught her. </p><p>Sighing, he hoisted her onto his back in a piggyback style. He was gonna bring her back to her room.</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>9:13 pm.</p><p>Atsu entered the girls dormitory. He had just planned on dropping her off in her room and then returning to his own room.</p><p>But when he placed the girl down in her bed, his eyes glanced over her small body. He sighed.</p><p>"You really need to eat, kid..." he said to himself. </p><p>An idea suddenly crossed Atsu's mind. That could work.</p><p>-</p><p>Atsu entered the cafeteria and stared at the leftover food in the back of the room. He grabbed a plate and looked at what was left.</p><p>'<em>Hmm, I don't know what she likes, or if she's allergic to anything.</em>'</p><p>He grabbed a few simple things and placed them on the plate. He also grabbed a bottle of water.</p><p>-</p><p>Atsu entered Yuu's room and quietly snuck to the desk. He set the plate down on it and placed the bottle of water next to it.</p><p>After that, he turned and left the room.</p><p>Once outside, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.</p><p>"Don't worry little sis. Onii-chan is gonna live to see you again..."</p><p>-</p><p>"<strong>Mm, ahem, this is a school announcement. It is now 10 p.m. As such, it is officially nighttime. Soon the doors to the cafeteria will be locked. Okay then...sweet dreams, everyone! Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite...</strong>" </p><p>Arata sighed as he heard the nighttime announcement. He had just finished showering and changing back into his clothes.</p><p>He'd have to apologize to Atsu and Koharu for just leaving like that.</p><p>'<em>I need to control myself. I still have questions that need to be answered.</em>'</p><p>Arata laid down on his bed. </p><p>He fell asleep not long after.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>For a better version of this story, go read it on my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. I Can’t Hear You</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"<strong>Good morning, everyone! It is now 7 a.m. and nighttime is officially over! Time to rise and shine! Get ready to greet another beee-yutiful day!</strong>"</p><p>Arata groaned and rolled out of his bed. He covered his face with his hands. He was growing tired of this horrible and despair inducing school. Having to wake up every day to the same sounds were slowly driving him up at wall.</p><p>Arata sighed and lifted himself up. He continued with his normal routine then headed out the door. </p><p>'<em>I should probably go see if Yuu-chan is doing alright.</em>' </p><p>"What's up, Arata-san? I hope you're feeling better today." Atsu said.</p><p>Arata nodded and still continued towards the exit.</p><p>"I'm sorry about what happened yesterday. Tell that to Koharu-san as well." Arata called back, leaving the boys dormitory.</p><p>-</p><p>"Yuu-chan? Are you up? If you are, say something or I'm gonna come in." Arata said.</p><p>After a moment of silence from the other side, Arata assumed that she was alseep. He turned the doorknob and pushed the door open. He didn't see anyone in the room as he entered. </p><p>Arata looked toward the bathroom and discovered the door was closed. There was light leaking out from the bottom of the door.</p><p>'<em>Ah, she's in the bathroom. I guess I'll just wait here till she gets out</em>'</p><p>Arata sat down on the bed and waited. His mind began to recall the events of...he didn't even remember how long it's been. How long have they been trapped there? Why wasn't anyone coming to save them? There won't be anyone left by the time they get here. </p><p>Another thought crossed his mind. </p><p>'<em>Wait Yami-san said...about how no one could ignore when a group of government certified Ultimates go missing.</em>'</p><p>He's always found the that strange. When they first got here, Monokuma said something about this place being converted into some kind of shelter. He recalled that Monokuma said something about protecting them. </p><p>What was he trying to protect them from? And if he was, then why was he making them kill each other?!</p><p>'Why can I not remember anything after setting foot on the school grounds? What the hell happened to us?'</p><p>He perked up when he heard the bathroom door open. He froze as he met eyes with Yuu. She was naked.</p><p>'<em>Of course. Cause why not.</em>'</p><p>Arata quickly averted his eyes away from her.</p><p>"Sorry. I swear I didn't mean to see you like that. I have terrible timing." Arata explained quickly.</p><p>He could hear Yuu moving around. He could hear her feet shuffling as well. </p><p>"It's okay...I was just....showering...I know you...didn't mean to...do that..." Yuu said slowly.</p><p>Arata felt a wave of relief wash over him. He was just glad that she didn't hate him. He felt the bed shift as Yuu sat down on it. He took that as his cue to get up but still faced the wall. </p><p>He approached the wall, making sure he was facing away from Yuu. He stood there like a child that had been put in timeout. He froze as he heard light giggling from behind him.</p><p>"Uh...what's so funny?"</p><p>"You look...kinda funny...when you're...doing that..." Yuu pointed out.</p><p>"Well, it's kinda of not socially acceptable for someone like me to just stare at a naked girl who looks like a child, no offense. And I don't think that's morally right either." Arata said.</p><p>"Oh...I'm dressed now...so you can stop...doing...whatever that is..." Yuu said, yawning again.</p><p>Arata nodded and turned back to Yuu. She was dressed this time. He let out another sigh of relief. </p><p>"I found a....button..." Yuu said suddenly.</p><p>Arata raised an eyebrow. He saw that Yuu was holding something the size of a quarter.</p><p>"A button? Like one that you press?"</p><p>"No....just a...button...." Yuu responded.<br/>"It's turquoise....my favorite...color..." </p><p>"Then you should keep it. But...maybe you should wash it first. You don't know where it's been." Arata said. </p><p>He was surprised by how protective he sounded.</p><p>Yuu nodded and put the button in her pocket. </p><p>The boy sat down on the edge of the bed, staring at Yuu. She stared back at him with her same tired look.</p><p>"I tried to...explore...yesterday...cause I wanted you...to be....proud of me...but...I fell asleep...and I think...Atsu-san...brought me back...here..." Yuu said.</p><p>Arata nodded.</p><p>'<em>I'll have to thank him later</em>'</p><p>"You should thank him for that. Not everyone is as nice as him. He could've easily just left you where he found you." Arata said.</p><p>"I know...but...nevermind...can you bring me...to the cafeteria...?" Yuu asked.</p><p>The girl stretched her arms out towards Arata as if signaling for him to pick her up. He sighed and turned himself around.</p><p>"Fine...hop on my back. I'm not really strong, but I think I can carry you." Arata said.</p><p>Yuu nodded and followed his instructions and climbed on his back. She wrapped her arms around his neck. He held her legs in place and shakily stood up. She was just about a light as he thought she would be.</p><p>Arata made his way to the door and after a moment of struggling, he got it open.</p><p>"Are you always this tired?" Arata asked as he began heading to the cafeteria.</p><p>"Yeah....my energy...is really low...all the time..." Yuu explained, yawning.</p><p>This caused Arata to yawn as well. He quickly shook off that 'after-yawn' feeling. As they began walking, he could feel Yuu staring at him.</p><p>"Why do you...always have your...hair...over your eye...?" Yuu asked suddenly.</p><p>Arata froze.</p><p>"Uh...why do you ask?" Arata questioned.</p><p>"Because...it looks...weird....and cool...." Yuu mumbled.</p><p>Arata was barely able to understand her with her quiet mumbling. But he still managed to depict her words.</p><p>"Oh....one of my eyes is weird. I think it'll freak people out if I just show it off carelessly." Arata explained.</p><p>"Mhm....that's okay....weird is good...." Yuu said, softly.</p><p>Arata nodded.</p><p>"Yup. I agree with that." He said.</p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p>
  <em>"Yami-san? Yami-san! Get ahold of yourself!" Kichino shouted.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The exorcist leaned against the wall. She was bleeding from a wound in her stomach. There was a spear. It was protruding from both sides of her. It had gone right through her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>'Damnit! Where is everyone else?!' Kichino thought.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He reached out an took Yami's wrist in order to check for her pulse. It was there. But it was faint.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You had better not die on me Yami-san. We still have a future to work towards. You promised me, did you not!?" Kichino said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He froze as he felt her grab his wrist. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You remember me....don't you...?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Huh?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kichino watched in utter horror as Yami's face began to melt in front of him. He jerked his arm away.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"What on earth...?"  Kichino mumbled.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Wake up, Kichi-kun. You won't remember me anymore." </em>
</p><p>-</p><p>Kichino woke up with a start. He look around his room in a blind panic. Nothing. There was nothing. Of course there was nothing. There hadn't been anything this entire bloody time.</p><p>He gave himself a minute for his heart rate to return to normal. </p><p>'<em>What was that dream? That was absolutely horrific</em>'  He thought.</p><p>Kichino quickly got out of his bed and made his way to his desk. He grabbed the cross necklace that he had placed there the prior night. He shoved it into his pocket. </p><p>He stood still for a moment before looking over at his clock. </p><p>7:32 am.</p><p>'<em>I suppose I missed the morning announcement. I should head to the cafeteria at once so that I will not be famished.</em>'</p><p>Kichino sighed and headed to his door. He began his approach to the cafeteria.</p><p>-</p><p>"Oh come on! You can't blame me for the pin coming out! You're the one who did it!" </p><p>Kichino sighed as he approached the cafeteria. He heard the increasingly obnoxious voice that belonged to Hideshi. Perfect. He quietly entered, making it so that he wouldn't be noticed.</p><p>"What do you mean?! I was just trying to get it away from you! What kind of kid just picks up a grenade and starts flailing it around like a psychopath?" Atsu argued.</p><p>"Don’t tell me you weren't curious! I saw you staring at those swords like they were fricken' Jesus!" Hideshi accused.</p><p>"They were interesting! And stop steering the conversation away from the main problem!" Atsu said.</p><p>Kichino watched as the two bickered back and forth. His eyes looked towards Arata. Next to him sat Yuu.</p><p>'<em>Hmm...he seems to be rather fond of that liar.</em>'</p><p>He watched as the survivor continued his conversation with the human test subject.</p><p>'<em>There is not very many of us left. Perhaps that is why.</em>'</p><p>Kichino glanced around the room. He came to the conclusion that two people were missing. </p><p>Yukio, and Kotori, and Sara.</p><p>'<em>Hmm, according to what I heard outside the library, Samaru-san doesn't want to be near anyone in fear that he would become a problem. Kaminaga-san could quite easily be living up to her title and searching around the school. As for Ikeda-san....I am not sure.</em>'</p><p>"Hey, Kichino-sama. Why do you always sit by yourself?" </p><p>Kichino looked to his right to see the black and white cat 'talking' to him. The holder of the puppet was staring at the ground, completely emotionless.</p><p>"So that I can avoid conversing with plebeians such as yourself." He answered.</p><p>"Hey! That's not nice!" The puppet exclaimed.</p><p>"Remind me why on earth you thought that I would be nice to you?" Kichino sneered.</p><p>"Because it's only first nature to be nice to people! Kichino-sama, if you aren't nice to anyone, you'll make enemies! And isolating yourself is bad too! You should come get to know everyone so that we can work together to escape." The puppet said.</p><p>"I do not want to continue to be lectured by an inanimate object and I will not go get to know anyone. Emotional attachment is the reason that this killing game is taking forever to end." Kichino responded. </p><p>Kichino stared at the ventriloquist. He froze as he was met with blinding red eyes. They were terrifying. Out of everything the Luckster has seen in his life, that was definitely the most heart stopping. He'd never seen her eyes before but now he wished that he'd never see them again. They just screamed bloody murder.</p><p>"Let's. Go. Okay?" The puppet said. </p><p>A shiver ran down his spine.</p><p>"Very well. I do not know what you are, but I will not fear you any longer." Kichino said.</p><p>He stood up and begrudgingly made his way towards everyone else.</p><p>"What are you even saying anymore?!" Atsu asked. "You're making absolutely zero sense!"</p><p>"That's not a proper percentage!" Hideshi argues.</p><p>Atsu sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.</p><p>"Awe man...I have such a bad headache..." the Swindler murmured.</p><p>"Oh! What's up, Kichi-chan? You finally do being a gloomy Gus?" Hideshi asked.</p><p>Kichino smirked in a threatening way.</p><p>"Stop talking to me like we are friends. Only people who are close to me can call me Kichi. So refer to me by my actual name, you heathen." Kichino said.</p><p>"Okay...jeez you are such an asshat." Hideshi mumbled.</p><p>"Ass...hat..?" Kichino echoed. "Do not talk about me with your common tongue."</p><p>"And you say I make zero sense." Hideshi said, looking back at Atsu.</p><p>"<strong>It's good to see everyone getting along! I suppose you're all ready to live the rest of your lives in this dreary school!</strong>"</p><p>Kichino watched as Arata moved in front of Yuu, protectively. </p><p>"What do you want from us?" Arata asked.</p><p>"<strong>Upupupu~! I want nothing but your despair! Seeing such young faces filled with pain, it just makes my fur tingle at the thought of it.</strong>"</p><p>Everyone in the room displayed their looks of disgust and discomfort.</p><p>"You showed yourself for a reason. Explain why you must be here." Kichino demanded.</p><p>"<strong>Hmm. Very well then. If you're all so desperate to know. I've already knocked out everybody that isn't in this room. Taking down that Markswoman was still a son of a bitch but I still managed to do it. Now, goodnight.</strong>" </p><p>All at once, everyone in the room was shot with a tranquilizer dart.</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>
  <em>"Arata-chan? Arata-chan! We need you to stay focused! Can you hear me?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata winched as he saw the light in his eyes. Someone was shining a light in his eyes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Oh! Good, you're awake. Now we can continue on to tier two. Just relax and let the needle do it's job. I promise you won't feel a thing." The lady said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata's protests were muffled by the metal clamp over his mouth. He struggled against his restraints but the chair kept him locked in place. He widened his eyes as the lady moved something in front of his left eye. Two long and thin needles poked out from the object. The lady pushed a button and the object began moving towards him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Mfffhghhh!!!" Was all he managed to say.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He yanked on his arm restraints in an attempt to free himself again. He was screaming. He couldn't stop screaming. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata shrieked At the top of his lungs as the needles pushed into his iris. He was crying. He had been crying for awhile. The lady had lied to him. He could feel the needle in his eye. It was painful, and agonizing. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>'I wanna go home...I wanna go home! Grandma! Grandpa! Help me please!!'</em>
</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>Arata blinked open his eyes and looked around the area. It looked like it had when their second motive was given. Students unconscious on the gymnasium floor. He shakily got to his feet. The other students began to wake up as well. </p><p>"<strong>Ah, you're all awake, huh? Now I can present my newest motive! Even though four of you won't be able to hear me, those who can, can tell them later...if you can speak.</strong>"</p><p>"Just say it!" Sara shouted.</p><p>"<strong>Whoa, no need to be so impatient. Jeez kids these days... Now, you have all been injected with a special serum that takes away either your voice, sight, or hearing. I think this will make an interesting motive. Buh-bye!</strong>" </p><p>After that, the bear disappeared. All the students began trying to figure out what they were missing. </p><p>Four students looked around in confusion.</p><p>Four students looked around while panicking.</p><p>Four people tested their voices.</p><p>Arata opened his mouth to speak but soon he realized, he couldn't. He cleared his throat and tried again but he could only wheeze.</p><p>'<em>He wasn't joking.</em>'</p><p>"H-Help! I c-can't see! It's d-dark! P-pitch black!" Riku stuttered. </p><p>Ren was by his side in an instant. He placed his hand on the assistant's back in a comforting manner. It wasn't obvious what Ren was missing.</p><p>"Arata-chan..? Can't...hear...any..thing.." Yuu said.</p><p>Her voice was strained, as if she were struggling to speak.</p><p>'<em>So Yuu-chan is temporary deaf.</em>'</p><p>Arata couldn't say anything that could calm her down. Even if he could, she couldn't hear him. He could tell that she was scared. He didn't know what to do. Everyone was panicking and Arata couldn't even calm them down with his words. Some of them would be able to hear him. Everything around him was complete chaos. He squeezed his eyes shut. He didn't know what to do. He wasn't a leader he couldn't fix this!</p><p>Then a voice broke through the waves of panicked Ultimates.</p><p>"Whoa! Can't see shit, Captain!"</p><p>Kotori?</p><p>"Alright um....those who can't speak, go gather the...four...?...students that can't hear. Those who can't see, try to make your way towards me. I can't see anything either. After the deaf are gathered, those who can't speak can find something to write on and explain to the deaf students so that they know what's going on!" Kotori instructed. </p><p>'<em>Alright. Stay calm. I just gotta gather the temporary deaf students.</em>'</p><p>Arata looked around. He examined the faces and determined who didn't know what was happening. He moved forwards and stood in front of Atsu. </p><p>"Arata-san!! What's going on?!" Atsu questioned, rather loudly.</p><p>Arata reaches out and grabbed Atsu's hand. He led the Swindler over towards Yuu. He put his hands out in a 'stay here' motion. Atsu looked confused but nodded anyways.</p><p>Arata glanced around the students. He approached Haru and knelt down in front of her. He mouthed the words 'can you hear me'. After a moment of silence, from both her, and the puppet, Arata concluded that she couldn't hear him. However, he didn't know how he was going to get her to the other two. </p><p>He sighed. After waving a hand under her eyes to get her attention, he beckoned her to follow him. After a moment of hesitation, she finally complied. </p><p>'<em>If I'm right about this, then there should be one more left.</em>'</p><p>Arata glanced around. Hideshi, for some reason, was still unconscious. Sara, from what Arata heard, is missing her sight, since she heard Monokuma and replied to him. Koharu was holding her neck like she was choking. Yukio had a hand over his mouth. A group of four, consisting of Kotori, Kichino, Sara, and Riku, stood off to the side. They must be the sightless.</p><p>'<em>Which means, Samaru-san, Koharu-san, me, and...either Ren-san...or Nakashima-san, are missing our voices.</em>'</p><p>Arata approached Ren and mouthed the words 'can you hear me'. </p><p>"No I can't." Ren replied.</p><p>Arata looked incredibly surprised by the sudden answer. </p><p>"I can read lips." Ren said, having sensed Arata's confusion.</p><p>'<em>Okay. I guess that means Nakashima-san has no voice.....thank goodness...</em>'</p><p>Arata mouthed the words 'stand with them' and pointed towards Atsu, Haru, and Yuu. Ren nodded and walked to the other three temporary deaf students.</p><p>"Since I haven't heard your voice, Arata-san, I'm assuming you can't speak. Gather up the voiceless and deaf students and try to get the deaf students up to date. I'll try to help everyone who can't see. Also, when you're done, see if you can come help us since we can't see." Kotori said.</p><p>Arata sighed. He couldn't respond to her. He did the next best thing that he could, he stomped his foot on the ground in an attempt at very sloppy Morse code. It echoed around the gym. He didn't hear her respond back. </p><p>Moving quickly, he grabbed Yukio and Koharu and brought them to his group. He looked towards the two temporarily mute students and tried to make hand motions to tell them what he needed. He pretended to scribble on his hand. Koharu seemed to be aware of what he was trying to get at.</p><p>The historian pulled a small notepad out of her pocket. She handed it to Arata and took the pen from behind her ear and handed it to him as well. He bowed slightly in thanks and turned towards the deaf students. He took a moment and scribbled something on it and showed it to the four students. </p><p>It read: Monokuma has given us another motive. He said we were injected with a serum that will remove either our voice, hearing, or sight. For you guys, it's your hearing. Me, Koharu, Yukio, and Hideshi can't speak. Kotori, Kichino, Sara, and Riku can't see. Be aware of your surroundings. Anyone can kill you if you can't hear them sneak up on you. If you want someone to talk to, then talk to the blind students. If you want to talk to one of the mute students, then bring something for us to write on. Ask any questions.</p><p>The students looked at Arata with looks of mixed fear, and confusion.</p><p>"So....we can't hear..till someone....dies...." Yuu asked.</p><p>Arata nodded. </p><p>"Why is this happening?!" Haru's puppet exclaimed.</p><p>"I hope everyone is going to be okay. It makes me sad, knowing that I can't hear your voices." Ren said.</p><p>"This is crazy...." Atsu said.</p><p>Arata began to scribble something down on the notepad. He turned it back to the deaf students when he was done.</p><p>It read: I suggest that you all go back to your rooms. Only leave them when it's necessary. Keep your eyes on the time so that you don't miss dinner. Atsu, please carry Hideshi back to his room. Write him a note that explains what's happening. Don't forget to tell him that he's missing his voice. Ren, please make sure that Yuu can get to her room safely. I'm sure that Haru can act on her own.</p><p>Two of the deaf students looked hesitant but soon, they all complied and headed out. Arata turned to Koharu and Yukio. He jerked his head towards the group of temporarily blind students. The two other mute students nodded and they headed towards them.</p><p>Arata pointed at Koharu and then pointed towards Kotori and Sara. Koharu nodded and headed towards the two girls. Arata stood in front of Riku. He looked over at Yukio, who was staring at Kichino. Arata mouthed the word 'sorry'. </p><p>"W-Who's t-th-there?" Riku called out.</p><p>Arata examined the assistants eyes. They were wide open but the color in his eyes looked like it had grown over the iris. </p><p>Arata reaches out and grabbed Riku's arm. He was surprised as the assistant shrieked, very femininely. </p><p>"S-Sorry! I p-panicked!" Riku apologized.</p><p>Arata rolled his eyes and pulled Riku's arm towards him. Riku yelped. Arata began to trace a few letters onto the other boys arm.</p><p>"H-huh...did you j-just spell...Art...no....'Arata'? W-Wait! Is th-that you, A-Arata-kun? T-Thank goodness...wa-wait, w-where did Ren-chan g-go?" Riku sputtered. "N-nevermind...I'm sur-sure he's d-doing something impor-important..."</p><p>'<em>Why does he sound so sad?</em>'</p><p>Arata looked towards the other two. Yukio looked completely worn out as he led Kichino out of the room. </p><p>Sara managed to move on her own, despite losing her sight. She was already out of the gym. Koharu was leading Kotori out.</p><p>The survivor pulled out his Monopad, which was surprisingly still in his pocket. He looked at the time.</p><p>It was 4:35 pm. He didn't know if it was still the same day.</p><p>Arata began to trace a few more letters in Riku's arm.</p><p>"C...o...m...e..? Come? W-where?" Riku asked.</p><p>Arata simply tugged the boy forwards.</p><p>"W-whoa!" </p><p>Arata began to lead the assistant towards the boys dormitory.</p><p>'<em>This is gonna be a bitch.</em>'</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Please go to my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47. A better version of this story resides there with my drawings and other art.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. What’s Red But Not Red?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Arata continued to drag Riku towards the dormitory. Now, he didn't hate Riku. In fact, he felt like it was impossible to hate Riku. But the assistants constant stream of questions was starting to grow very annoying.</p><p>"H-Hey...Arata-kun, Do you k-know where Ren-chan is-is?" Riku asked.</p><p>It became clear to Arata that Riku wasn't getting the hint that his guide couldn't speak.</p><p>Once they reached Riku's room, Arata opened the door and practically threw the assistant inside. He closed the door after that.</p><p>'<em>Okay. I guess I'll come get him at 7 so he can eat.</em>'</p><p>He still had the notebook in his pocket, along with the pen. He'd have to return it to Koharu later.</p><p>Arata thought about who he should go talk to.</p><p>'<em>I can't talk to any of the blind students because I won't be able to speak to them and they won't be able to see what I write. I'll look for one of the deaf or mute students.</em>'</p><p>Arata headed out of the dorms. </p><p>-</p><p>Arata froze as he reached for the art room door. He hadn't been in there since it was found. He never had any use for it. Even in his short lived childhood, the only thing he got to paint with was his own blood.</p><p>He entered the room. The overwhelming smell of paint filled his nose. Wait.</p><p>'<em>Who's been up here? Why does it smell like someone's been painting recently?</em>'</p><p>Arata approached one of the art pads on the easel. He froze as he noticed that the paint on it was still wet. He took a moment to fully comprehend the picture that he was seeing.</p><p>'<em>That's....Theo-san's...sword...</em>'</p><p>This made Arata uneasy. Not the fact that someone had drawn the sword, but the fact that this person would've had to go into Arata's room and find where he had hidden the items.</p><p>He looked to the right, and soon his suspicions were confirmed. There was Theo's sword, laying on a stood. The survivor moved forwards and quickly grabbed it. He looked it over and immediately knew it was the real one. Which meant that someone had been in his room. He didn't know their intentions, but he knew that they took something precious from him, probably with no intention to return it. </p><p>'<em>I really can't trust any of these people. That's fine. I'm used to not trusting anyone. I can make it out of here...by myself....just like always.</em>'</p><p>Arata tightened his grip on the fake sword. He always thought this way, so why did it feel...wrong?</p><p>"You look troubled, Arata-kun. Is there something on your mind? Do you wanna talk to me?...well...you know what I mean." </p><p>Arata jumped at the sound of Ren's voice. How had he managed to sneak up on Arata?</p><p>He mouthed the words 'why are you here'.</p><p>Ren tilted his head to the side. He smiled.</p><p>"It looked like you could use some company. In times like these, we should at least find comfort in our friends." Ren answered.</p><p>Arata narrowed his eyes at the botanist. He didn't hate Ren. He couldn't hate Ren, especially not after all he's done...but he was always suspicious. </p><p>'Did you get Yuu-chan back to her room safely' Arata mouthed.</p><p>Ren nodded and smiled.</p><p>"You and her seem really close. It makes sense. You do seem like you would be a great big brother." Ren said.</p><p>'I'm going to escape with her.' Arata mouthed the words again.</p><p>Ren chuckled and nodded.</p><p>"I wish you two luck. It's nice to have a deep connection with your friends. It gives you hope." Ren said.</p><p>Arata nodded hesitantly. He gripped he fake sword in his hand and moved around Ren. As he was leaving, he looked back and noticed that Ren was still standing in the doorway to the art room. </p><p>'<em>I could've sworn...he was watching me leave...</em>'</p><p>Arata shook off the feeling and continued down the stairs. He went through many reasons in his head about why Theo's sword ended up in the art room. It was obvious that someone was painting it. But how did they manage to find it in Arata's room? And why didn't they just ask to borrow it?</p><p>'<em>I probably would've said no.</em>'</p><p>As he approached the boys dormitory, he noticed that the door was already opened. He entered and closed the door behind him. It didn't take him long to figure out why the door was open.</p><p>Yuu was sitting outside his door. She was swaying slightly, as if she were forcing herself to stay awake. </p><p>'<em>How the hell did she get here?</em>'</p><p>Arata was immediately by the girls side. He was met with her dusty gray eyes. </p><p>"Arata-chan...I couldn't...hear...if you were...here.....so I....waited for you....." Yuu explained.</p><p>Arata didn't care that it took Yuu a few moments to finish her sentences. He had gotten used to it. He quickly scooped her into his arms and barely managed to open his door. Once inside, he laid Yuu down on his bed. </p><p>He opened his dresser drawer and moved the wooden bottom out to reveal a secret compartment. It had Kanon's headphones and Sora's scarf in it. He carefully placed Theo's sword inside and replaced the wooden bottom. </p><p>"Hey Arata-chan....when are we....gonna leave...?" Yuu asked.</p><p>Arata froze as he heard the question. Moving quickly, he grabbed the notepad out of his pocket and the pen. He scribbled something down. He turned the notepad towards Yuu.</p><p>It read: We can't leave yet. The killing game is still happening. And there's no other way out of the school besides the front entrance, and it's sealed up tight. I'm guessing a few more people will die before we can escape.</p><p>Yuu's expression became sad as she read the note. She looked down at her hands, where her turquoise button was. She flipped it over and over in her hands. </p><p>"Do you know....why....I can't remember....anything after...I walked...into the school....?" She asked.</p><p>Arata stared down at the notepad.</p><p>'<em>I don't remember anything after I walked through the school gates.</em>' </p><p>Arata scribbled something down on a new page of the notepad. He turned it to Yuu.</p><p>It read: When you walked through the school gates, did you begin to feel dizzy and then pass out?</p><p>Yuu scanned the page and then looked up at Arata.</p><p>"Yeah but....I thought...that...was normal...for me...." Yuu said, trailing off.</p><p>Arata began to put the pieces together in his mind.</p><p>'<em>Alright. So I don't remember anything after passing out, and it's the same for Yuu-chan. Maybe it happened to everyone else. Could our kidnappers have done something? But when I walked through the school gate, there weren't iron plates over the windows and there wasn't a big iron door either. That couldn't have been done in a short about of time.</em>'</p><p>"Arata-chan..?" </p><p>Arata jumped slightly. He had been so lost in thought that he'd forgotten that Yuu was sitting on his bed. He fumbled with the notepad and quickly wrote something. He showed it to the small girl.</p><p>It read: It's 7. Let's head to the cafeteria now. I have to stop and get Riku so you'll have to wait for me, or you can go by yourself.</p><p>Arata put the notepad and pen back into his pocket. He waited for Yuu to climb out of the bed. Once she stood next to him, he offered his hand to her, which she immediately took in her own.</p><p>The survivor and the human test subject headed over to the assistants room. Arata reached out and knocked on his door. He widened his eyes as he heard a thump and a 'Whoa!' From the other side of the door.</p><p>After a moment, Riku opened the door. His glasses were crooked and his hair was a bit out of place. He was panting.</p><p>"Um...w-who is i-it?" Riku asked.</p><p>Arata reached out and grabbed Riku's arm. He tugged him forwards and began to head out of the boys dormitory.</p><p>"H-hey! Pl-Please slow d-down a bit!" Riku pleaded.</p><p>"Arata-chan...can you....walk slower....?" Yuu asked.</p><p>After hearing Yuu's voice, Arata slowed down his walking pace.</p><p>Riku took this moment to readjust his glasses, although, they were pretty much useless.</p><p>"A-Ah...so its A-Arata-kun and Yuu-san..." Riku deduced.</p><p>The three students made it to the cafeteria. They were the last ones there, cause it seemed like everyone had showed up. Arata led Riku towards Ren and dropped him off there. He still held Yuu's hand. </p><p>Arata looked down at Yuu, who was barely keeping her eyes open. He didn't understand why she was forcing herself to stay awake. She seemed narcoleptic, so she probably won't be able to stay awake much longer.</p><p>He decided to pull his focus away from it and looked towards the food. He let go of Yuu's hand and pointed towards the table of food. She seemed to understand and walked over to the table to grab food. </p><p>"Arata-san! How's it going?!" Atsu said, a bit too loudly.</p><p>Arata sighed and pulled out the notepad and pen. He wrote something down and showed it to Atsu. </p><p>It said: You're talking too loudly.</p><p>Atsu chuckled awkwardly.</p><p>"Sorry! I can't exactly hear myself!" Atsu said, loudly again.</p><p>Arata circled the words 'too loud' on the notepad. Atsu decided that it was best to back out of the conversation.</p><p>Arata closed the notepad and put it back into his pocket. He turned towards the food table and began to pick out a few things for himself. He grunted as a roll of bread hit him in the back of his head. He turned around and tried to find the origin of the projectile. </p><p>Hideshi and Koharu looked like they were frozen, mid-fight. They quickly separated as they saw Arata. Hideshi pointed an accusing finger towards Koharu, who grabbed the boys arm and twisted it behind his back. If Hideshi could speak, Arata imagined that he would be screaming. </p><p>The survivor found himself smiling as he walked away from the two that were still fighting. </p><p>The next scene that he saw was surprising, and slightly concerning. Yuu sat at a table in the back of the cafeteria. Across the table, Kichino was there. </p><p>'<em>If I remember correctly, Shinobu-san is one of the blind students, so maybe he didn't know Yuu-chan was there.</em>'</p><p>Arata slowly approached the table and took the seat next to Yuu. When he set his plate down, Kichino shifted, ever so slightly. Arata began to eat, still observing the Luckster. </p><p>"Tell me, Katsune-san. What is it that you are after. Why do you create a bond with these people that you most likely will never see again?" Kichino asked suddenly.</p><p>Arata stopped eating. He couldn't reply. He had a feeling that Kichino knew that.</p><p>"That girl. Yuu-san. Why do you allow her to become close to you, but not anyone else? Is it because you pity her? Or are you taking advantage of her. I wonder...could you be the next killer? It would be quite effortless. She has put her faith into you, So manipulation is very easy." Kichino continued.</p><p>Arata tightened his grip on his fork. If he had the strength, he would probably have snapped it like a twig. </p><p>"Katsune-san, I respect you. You fought to get where you are now, such as I. You have truly seen the worst of humanity. For that, I can relate to you. Remember this. But don't think we are equals. I am still far beyond your pitiful rank." Kichino said.</p><p>Arata's expression turned from anger to confusion in no time flat. He watched as the Luckster stood up from his chair.</p><p>"Samuru-san!" Kichino shouted.</p><p>Yukio who was sitting a few table away, nearly jumped out of his skin. He seemed to have just sat down when Kichino shouted his name. Arata noticed the bags under Yukio's eyes. </p><p>'<em>Why does he look more sleep deprived than usual?</em>'</p><p>The Mad Scientist walked towards Kichino and grabbed his arm. Everyone watched as Yukio led the Luckster out of the room. </p><p>For a minute, everyone was silent, even those who couldn't hear. It might've been that they could sense the tension in the room.</p><p>"They know something." Sara said.</p><p>Those who couldn't speak, looked towards Sara, and those who couldn't see, looked to where they heard her voice from. </p><p>"What makes you say that?" Kotori asked.</p><p>"Shinobu-san doesn't like anyone, and he spent the entirety of the killing game isolating himself from everyone. And suddenly, he starts to treat one of us different. This was happening even before we got the third motive." Sara explained.</p><p>"M-Maybe he's be-becom-becoming f-friends with S-Samuru-kun. Th-a-at could be h-his way of m-mak-ing friends." Riku suggested. </p><p>"He already made it clear that he doesn't want anything to do with us. So I doubt he wants to be friendly now." Sara said.</p><p>Riku shrunk back after he was shot down. Ren put a comforting hand on his back.</p><p>Sara got up from her chair and pushed it back in. She headed to the door and Koharu made a move to go help her back to her room. </p><p>"No. I can go by myself." Sara said, stopping Koharu dead in her tracks. </p><p>Sara exited the cafeteria. Kotori got up from her chair. </p><p>"Alright, Koharu-san. You ready to go?" The investigator asked.</p><p>Koharu nodded and quickly grabbed Kotori's wrist. The two left the cafeteria.</p><p>"I'll lead Riku-chan back to his room. Arata-kun, if you want, you can take my place and lead Yuu-san back to her room. It's up to you. Have a nice night, everyone." Ren said.</p><p>The botanist, tugged on Riku's arm and the assistant didn't say anything as they left.</p><p>Atsu left in his own time. No one questioned his exit. Hideshi left not long after him. </p><p>This was the first time that Arata noticed Haru. She was standing by herself. One thing stood out the most: she didn't have her puppet. </p><p>'<em>I'm guessing it's cause she can't hear herself while throwing her voice to the puppet. It looks kinda strange without her holding her left hand up.</em>'</p><p>Arata averted his eyes as the ventriloquist looked up at him. She approached him and sat in the seat next to him. He didn't question it. She probably felt vulnerable by herself.</p><p>His train of thought was cut off by a strange mumbling noise. No, a strange humming sound. It was coming from Haru.</p><p>'<em>Does she know she's doing that? She should be able to feel the vibrations from her throat. I've never heard her real voice before.</em>'</p><p>Arata sat completely still. The song that Haru was humming was actually....soothing. He made sure he didn't give off any indication that he was listening to her. </p><p>-</p><p>
  <em>"Come on Haru. It's time to go to sleep." Her mother called out.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Haru was confused. Why was her mother talking? And why so obviously?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She put her toothbrush back in it's holder and headed to her room. She slid into her bed and waited for her mother to come to tuck her in. She'd love if her father would tuck her in. But he was too busy. Probably. He's been away for a year now.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The girl looked up at the ceiling. Many different colors clashed on the ceiling. Her parents had stuck light-up stars up there. It had been a pain to get them up there, but they would do anything for their daughter. Her thoughts came to a stop as her mother entered the room. She watched as her mother tucked her into the sheets.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Haru could tell it was a bad day for her mother since she moved quickly. Her mother met her eyes and immediately looked away. She always did. Haru had very scary eyes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Alright Haru. Close your eyes." Her mother said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Again with the talking.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She did as she was told. Her mother wound the music box that sat on the dresser. She listened. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I hope you find your voice one day, Haru. I'm sure all your friends will love it." Her mother said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She opened her eyes and watched as tears dropped from her mothers eyes. Why was she crying? </em>
</p><p>
  <em>She still said nothing. Even when her mother began to sing along to the song on the music box.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"<strong>High in the halls of the kings who are gone<br/>Jenny would dance with her ghosts.</strong></em>
</p><p>
  <em><strong>The ones she had lost and the ones she had found<br/>And the ones who had loved her the most.</strong>"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her mother reached out and gently brushed Haru's bangs away from her eyes. She never told her, but she loved her daughters eyes. They were never scary to her. They were beautiful.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"<strong>The ones who'd been gone for so very long<br/>She couldn't remember their names.</strong></em>
</p><p>
  <em><strong>They spun her around on the damp old stones<br/>Spun away all her sorrow and pain.</strong>"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Haru felt the comfort in her mother's voice. She had never heard her sing before, but it was lovely. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"<strong>And she never wanted to leave<br/>Never wanted to leave<br/>Never wanted to leave<br/>Never wanted to leave</strong>"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Haru smiled. Something she hadn't done in years. The look in her mothers eyes when she smiled made it so much more worth the trouble. But unfortunately, that's where her mother stopped singing.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"That's my Haru. That's all I've ever wanted. To see your beautiful smile. I'm sorry but I can't keep singing. Just know that I love you. So much. So please, smile more often." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her mother leaned forwards and placed a gentle kiss on Haru's forehead. Haru felt sad as she saw her mother pull away.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The her mother stood up. She made her way to Haru's door. She forgot to close it. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her mother was talking to someone that she couldn't see. She was shouting now. That wasn't good. They weren't allowed to talk. She was sure that her mother knew that.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The music box in her room continued to play its song. But Haru didn't know the lyrics. She only knew the melody. Maybe she could ask her mother later.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>*BANG*</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Haru watched as her mother crumpled to the floor, a bullet hole in her stomach. However, that didn't stop her. Her mother got to her feet. Her mother ran towards the people that were shouting at her before. She couldn't see anything after that.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She froze as she heard another gunshot and the sound of stomping. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Haru glanced out her window. The sky was a nice white color. It was always white. Almost everything was white. The whole neighborhood was white.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>As far as those weird white people taught her, she wasn't supposed to speak. If she did, she'd be killed. Her friend spoke once. And she saw the white people come and tear out his tongue and shoot him in the head. No one did anything cause he wasn't supposed to speak. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her mother said that there was still people who knew how to speak, like her, and she tried to teach Haru, but she never spoke. She goes out with these talking people and talk about 'the real world'. Her mother told her that it was very colorful. Her mother also said that her great grandparents lived in 'the real world'.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She wanted to see it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>After the noise downstairs became less, she peeked out of her room. One of the white men was standing there, waiting for her. The white man held his hand out to Haru, and she took it. The white man led her down the stairs. She saw her mom laying on the ground. Her tongue was no longer in her mouth. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>She was alive. The white man began to lead her out of the house. She looked back at her mother, who was smiling at her. No one had ever smiled at her before. She could see the life fade from her mothers eyes. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The love in her mothers eyes, could only be described by the sheer beauty of a bond between a mother and daughter.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She didn't realize it, but she was crying. She's never cried before. Ever. It made her feel bad. She wanted to cry more. She squeezed the white mans hand and cried quietly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The white men were talking to each other, paying no mind to her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Another one?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Yeah. The mother is dead, the one that's been on our radar. No other living relatives or friends or friends family."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"We might have to let this one out too. She'll be no more use to us if she can't grow up right."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"How old is she?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Six years old."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"That young?!?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Affirmative."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Alright. Get her a bottle of water and a sandwich or something. Then send her out. She young enough that she probably won't remember this all."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Roger that."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The white man pulled her to a large white room. The white men gathered things and put them in a bag. They handed the bag to her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>One of the white men pulled her to the side. They pressed a button on their head and it opened. There was a lady inside. She smiled at Haru.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Hello there, dear. Don't cry okay? You're going to a better place now." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The white lady kneeled down and wiped the tears from her cheeks. She then reached behind her and pulled something out of her back pocket.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Here, it used to belong to my daughter before....never mind. Just take care of it, dear." The lady said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She looked down at the thing that the lady handed to her. She didn't know what it was but it felt fluffy.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>(A black and white cat hand puppet)</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"What...about...Mommy...?...."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The lady looked at the girl, utterly baffled for a moment. Her head glanced from side to side before she answered.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Your mommy is going too. You just can't see her. Just know that she's going to be with you, dear." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>That didn't make sense to Haru. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The lady's head closed again and the other white men took Haru to a weird door. When they opened it, she was blinded by a bunch of different colors. The white men pushed her through the door and it closed behind her. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>There were tall brown blocks with green paper on the top of them all around her. She looked back at the closed door. She looked down at the weird object that the lady gave her. There was a hole in the bottom of it. Weird.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She looked off into the distance. She didn't see anything different, but maybe there was. She walked forwards.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Unbeknownst to her, these were her first steps to freedom. To find her voice.</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Fore a better version of this story, go read it on my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. These Poor Broken Souls</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Arata stood up with his empty plate. Both Yuu and Haru watched him as he grabbed their empty plates as well and brought them back into the kitchen. </p><p>Once Arata came back, Yuu grabbed his hand. He, of course, didn't protest and held her hand. They began to head out of the cafeteria. He was stopped as Haru grabbed his other hand. He didn't object. The three students exited the cafeteria. </p><p>Haru was still humming. Arata had to bring Yuu and Haru back to their rooms before he could go back to his own room. Well, technically he didn't have to but he was going to do it anyways. He began to head in the direction of the girls dormitory. </p><p>At the end of the hallway, he spotted something strange. </p><p>Hideshi was looking around, as if he were lost. Then, he turned and disappeared around the corner. </p><p>Arata narrowed his eyes.</p><p>'<em>What is that dumbass doing?</em>'</p><p>Arata didn't question it anymore. Hideshi didn't seem like he was doing anything. He just seemed...lost...?</p><p>He looked to his right. Haru was still looking at the ground. He wondered what she was thinking about.</p><p>-</p><p>After Arata dropped Haru off at her room, he led Yuu to her own room and directed her inside.</p><p>"Hey...Arata-chan...do you think...everyone's...gonna be okay...?" Yuu asked, sitting down on her bed.</p><p>Arata pulled out the notepad and pen and scribbled something down quickly. He showed it to Yuu.</p><p>It said: No. Lots of us are going to die before we can get out of here. But I'll do my best to get us both out. So don't worry too much.</p><p>Yuu looked surprisingly comforted by this. She watched as the survivor wrote something else down and showed it to her. </p><p>It read: I'm going to leave now. Please don't leave your room unless it's absolutely necessary. I just want you to be safe. Good night Yuu.</p><p>Yuu's face seems to drop a little.</p><p>"Goodnight....Onii-chan...." Yuu mumbled.</p><p>Arata was caught off guard by this. He felt a warm feeling in his heart as he exited her room. </p><p>-</p><p>When Arata returned to the boys dormitory, it was 8:17 pm.</p><p>'<em>I have a bit more than an hour and a half till the nighttime announcement.</em>'</p><p>Something popped into Arata's mind:</p><p>He had to block off the armory. Somehow.</p><p>He couldn't risk anyone taking anything from there. They could hurt him or Yuu.</p><p>Arata unconsciously left the boys dormitory and headed up to the third floor. As he was passing the second floor, he was overwhelmed with a feeling of déja vu. He shuddered as he continued onto the third floor.</p><p>'<em>What the hell is this school?</em>'</p><p>Arata reached the third floor and made his way to the door that led into the gun room. When he opens the door, he immediately regretted it when a pistol was aimed directly between his eyes. </p><p>"I know you're there. I heard you open the door. You would've said something when I pointed the gun at you, so it is my assumption that you are one of the mute students." </p><p>Sara. The Ultimate Markswoman. Fantastic. </p><p>"Your way of breathing is masculine, so you can't be Akifumi-san. Samuru-san's mask would've muffled his breathing so you cannot be him either. Nakashima-san would've have moved by now, considering he has a death wish. The only one left is Katsune-san." Sara said, pressing the gun to his forehead. "Nod your head if I'm right."</p><p>Arata did nothing. He wouldn't even move if the gun was actually loaded. He watched as she cocked the gun back. </p><p>'<em>Shit, did she actually load the gun? I thought she couldn't see!!</em>'</p><p>"I am the Ultimate Markswoman. I always hit my target. Especially if I can't see them. Don't be too surprised." Sara said.</p><p>Was that...guilt...in her eyes?</p><p>Even though his body was rigid with fear, Arata knew that her threats were empty. Something in her hollow eyes just told Arata that she would never pull the trigger. His suspicions were correct as Sara lowered the pistol. He finally allowed himself to breathe.</p><p>"Close range guns aren't my thing. You just walked in while I was examining it and I panicked so...I apologize for that." Sara explained.</p><p>Arata felt a side of guilt on his own part. But mostly, he was incredibly confused.</p><p>'<em>How the hell does she know any of this if she can't see?! How did she get up here? How did she know it was me? And WHAT THE HELL WAS SHE DOING?!?!</em>'</p><p>Arata was currently in the middle of a mental argument when Sara approached him. He was immediately on guard when she pointed the gun at him. She turned it on it's side. What was she doing?</p><p>"Aren't you gonna take it?" Sara asked. "I know you're still there."</p><p>Arata didn't have a choice at this point. He hesitantly took the weapon from her and unloaded the magazine from it. He sighed in relief as he saw that it was empty after all. </p><p>He glanced over at Sara. He knew that she couldn't see him but it felt wrong to stare at her. </p><p>"Please...don't look at me like that...I'm not a monster..." Sara whispered.</p><p>Arata barely managed to hear what she said. He didn't know if she had meant to say that out loud but nonetheless, it made his heart ache. The Markswoman had sounded so heartbreaking when she had spoken. </p><p>Arata turned and placed the pistol back on the rack it was originally from. When he turned back to Sara, she was already gone. He looked around, but he didn't see anyone. During his encounter, he had forgotten what he had originally came up there to do. </p><p>Forgetting his intentions, he returned to his room. </p><p>-</p><p>9:37 pm</p><p>Riku took his glasses off and placed them on his dresser. He sniffled as tears streamed down his face. </p><p>"Riku-chan? What's wrong? Why are you crying?" Ren asked, walking up next to the assistant.</p><p>"I-I don't...w-wanna be he-here...a-anym-ore." Riku spluttered.</p><p>Riku was fully aware that he sounded like a child. But he truly couldn't do anything. He was useless in a situation like this.</p><p>'<em>I've always been useless. That's how it's been...</em>'</p><p>——————————————————————</p><p>
  <em>[Riku, Age 11]</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Get outta my way you fucking teachers pet!" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Riku grunted as he was shoved into one of the lockers. His papers scattered all over the floor.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"H-hey! St-stop i-it!" Riku shouted at them.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The three attackers began to laugh like they had just heard a joke.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Wha-Wha-What're you gonna do, Ri-Riku?" One of them started mocking his stutter. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>His face burned with shame. They were mocking him because of a disability that he had no control over. It was disgusting. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Hey! Leave him alone! He didn't do anything to you!" A voice said from behind the three assaulters. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Oh great. It's Captain Depression. Are you gonna fight us or something?" One is them said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The boy who had tried to save Riku just stood there. After a moment, he ran towards Riku and grabbed his hand. The two fled the scene. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>~</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Y-you di-didn't have t-to do tha-that." Riku said to his friend.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I couldn't leave you there, Riku-chan. They were making fun of you!" Ryo said. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"E-every-one does th-that...." Riku said, adjusting his glasses. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I'm sorry I couldn't help you more...I'm just a cowards. And your papers..." Ryo said, trailing off.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Th-they don't ma-matter! I'm ju-ju-just glad y-you s-saved me!" Riku said, embracing his friend.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Riku knew all too well that his friend had depression. Even at his young age. However, Riku was doing everything in his power to stop Ryo's negative thinking. He wanted to give his best friend a reason to live.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"He-Hey! Remember, w-we're g-gonna be fr-friends fore-forever!" Riku reminded him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Ryo stared at his friend.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Cause I've got you...." Ryo said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Riku nodded.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"A-and I've go-got you!" Riku continued.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>They both pulled away from the hug and smiled at each other.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"So who needs anyone else!" They both said in unison.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>When they parted ways after that, Riku felt his joy come to an end almost immediately.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He had forgotten to buy bread like his mother had told him to. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Quickly, he rushed to the nearest town store and searched around the isles. He realized that his mother hadn't told him what type of bread to buy. He glanced at the many selections of bread. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>'Why is there so much bread? This is really confusing'</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Riku decided on a loaf of white bread. He quickly grabbed it off the shelf and headed towards the checkout area. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>While he was waiting in the line, a few people gave him looks of confusion. They were probably wondering why a 11-year-old was at the store by himself. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>When it was his turn, he handed the bread to the checkout lady and she scanned it quickly. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"That'll be 50 yen." The lady said. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Riku handed the lady the money and he was already off before the lady could ask if he wanted a bag. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He was never a very athletic person...at all. So running was never an easy thing for him to do. Which is why a 5 minute walk, took him 10 minutes due to the amount of times he stopped to catch his breath. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>When he made it back to his home, he entered the house as quietly as he possibly could. However, he wasn't quiet enough.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"What the fuck took you so long, kid? Your mother’s gonna fuckin’ explode." His dad said. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>His dad was in the kitchen, drinking something from his favorite silver flask.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Riku quickly dropped the bread off on the counter and turned to make his way up the stairs. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Hey! When I talk to you, I expect I fucking answer you little shit!" His dad shouted.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Riku yelped as he was yank backwards by his neck. His legs flailed helplessly as he dangled above the ground. He clawed at his dads hand, barely able to breathe anymore. When he felt his dad begin to squeeze his neck harder, he thought he was surely done for.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>That's when a bottle whipped past him and struck his father right in the head. His dad let go of him, letting him drop to the ground. Riku didn't have time to gasp for air. He scuttled away from his dad. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>His savior was none other than his mom. As he was running past her, towards his room, his mother grabbed his arm. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I'll be having a chat with you once I handle this son of a bitch." She hissed, jerking her head towards his father.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Riku nodded frantically and his mom let go of his arm. He knew what she meant. She was probably gonna hurt him for getting his dad all worked up. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>As he closed his door behind him, he tried to ignore the yelling and crashing that came from downstairs. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>~</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The next day at school, Ryo was absent. Riku felt like he had done something terribly wrong. He hadn't been able to focus much that day. The previous night had left nasty bruises on his neck. He was forced to wear a scarf to cover them up, even though it was hot out.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>At the end of the day, Tsurugami, his teacher had called him up to her desk. She was basically like a second mom to him. She was really nice to him, despite his flaws.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Riku-chan, can you tell me something?" Tsurugami asked.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Riku nodded.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>'Please don't be about the scarf. Please don't be about the scarf'</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Have you eaten anything lately? You look really famished." Tsurugami said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I-I'm fi-fi-fine!" Riku said, about a pitch higher than his normal voice.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Hmm. Oh! I know! There's a really great café that open up not too far from here. I'd love for you to come with me. I was going to head there now." Tsurugami said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Riku's eyes sparkled in amazing. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"R-r-really?!" Riku asked.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Yup. I'll order you anything you want. Just don't drain my wallet." She said, smiling.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tsurugami stood up from her chair and slung her messenger bag over her shoulder. Riku bowed deeply, trying to express how much he was thankful. He heard her chuckle and his raised his head.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Now, lets get going. I'll bring you home after. I'll tell your parents so they don't get worried." She said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>~</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Once they were in the café, They took a small table in the back and waited to order. Once the waitress arrived, Riku ordered a small bowl of miso soup, while Tsurugami ordered a black coffee. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Riku-chan, What do you want to be when you're older?" Tsurugami asked suddenly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I do-don't really k-know." Riku said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Well...have you ever thought about trying to become an Ultimate? If you're the best at what you do, you might catch the eye of Soaring Heights High School." Tsurugami said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"A-an Ultimate?! I'm n-not go-good at any-anything!" Riku objected.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"That's wrong! You're great at so many things, Riku-chan! You just need to find what you're the best at. And I'll be there, cheering you on!" Tsurugami said, smiling.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Riku smiled back. He reached out for a napkin, but his sleeve went up too far. She saw it, but he didn't know she did.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She saw the bandages on his arm. She knew Riku well enough to know they weren't self inflicted. However, she didn't mention it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>~</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Two years passed after that. Riku's bond with Tsurugami strengthened. However, his friendship with Ryo began to fade away. Lost promises blew away in the wind</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He was now 13 years old. Riku has been spending the past few years trying to find his talent. With the help of Tsurugami, he found it. He was an amazingly efficient. He'd always remember things and his organization skills were great. She said he'd be a great assistant.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>When he was walking home one day after staying late at school, he overheard a few people talking. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Did you hear about that kid that commit suicide?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Oh shit. I heard about that." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Riku felt his breath catch in his throat, but he knew it was none of his business.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>When he walked into his house, his mother handed him an envelope. She had a wicked smile on her face.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Did you hear about the kid that commit suicide? Too bad it wasn't you, but..." his mom chuckled.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Riku looked at her in confusion. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>When the next words left his moms mouth, he felt his heart physically stop beating for a moment.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"...It was Ryo. That letters addressed to you." She said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>That wasn't true. It couldn't be true. His mother lied to him all the time. Especially when she says she loves him. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Riku felt like he was going to pass out. He quickly tore open the envelope in his hands and read the letter, hoping it was all a joke. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>It read: Dear Riku-chan,<br/>I know you're gonna blame yourself. But please don't. It's not your fault. This was my decision. I understand now. I always got in the way. I understand why you stopped hanging out with me. I know how worthless I am. But you can keep going. You'll move on and find new friends. You're always looking towards the future...that's one of your best qualities. The years I spent with you were the best times of my life, but now, you can go on without trouble. Goodbye Riku-chan. I hope we can meet again someday.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>-Ryo</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Riku stared down at the letter in disbelief. This was a joke...right? It had to be. This was all just some cruel joke. He didn't feel like laughing. But it was a joke. When he goes to school tomorrow, he would go to Ryo's locker and greet him like always. He would tell him how much he cherishes Ryo's friendship. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Riku began crying. He couldn't help it. His tears dropped onto the crumpled paper in his hands. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Stop crying you goddam baby. Did you really expect him to live long?" His mom said. "Can't wait to finally get rid of you..." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Instead of feeling mad, he felt immeasurable guilt. It was all his fault. He did this to his best friend....no....his only friend....</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Riku turned around and bolted out of the house. He could barely see with his glasses fogged up and stained with his tears.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He had to go to Tsurugami. She would know what to tell him. She always knew what to tell him. She was always so kind to him. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Once he arrived at her house, he immediately knew something was off. Her front door was...wide open. As he approached her house, his sense of uneasiness began to grow. Did she forget to close her front door?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She wasn't the type to forget stuff like that. Hesitantly, he stepped into the house. The first thing he saw was chaos. The house looked atrocious. Papers were scattered and drawers were pulled out. Many objects looked to be missing altogether. Had her house been robbed?!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Riku approached the steps and carefully began to walk up them. When he got to the top, he noticed that her office door was open. Had she been working late? She was usually really careful about balancing her school work.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Riku approached the office doorway and peeked inside. He saw Tsurugami sitting in the chair, but she looked like she had fallen asleep at the desk. He approached his teacher and gently shook her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"T-Tsurugami-sensei? Are yo-you awake?" Riku asked. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>After he didn't get a response, Riku glanced at her head. She was facedown on the desk but-</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Wait.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Riku stared at her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>There was...blood.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Riku moved quickly and began to shake Tsurugami again.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Tsurugami-sensei! I-I thi-think you're h-hurt!" He said loudly. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her head fell to the side and he finally got a look at her face. And...</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>The single bullet hole going through her forehead.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>After that, time seemed to slow down for Riku. Why was this happening? Who would do this to her? Despite knowing that she wasn't going to answer, he continued to shake her again and again, calling her name in desperation. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>What could have distracted her so much that she didn't notice an intruder in her house. Slowly, he looked at the paper that she had been working on before she was shot. Something caught his eye.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>With shaking hands, he picked up the slightly bloody papers and read them. He could see his mothers signature on the bottom of the paper, followed by Tsurugami's half finished signature.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Did they make a deal together or something? He flipped it over and read the title. His heart sank.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>'These are...adoption papers...'</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The weight of the situation began to finally set in. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tsurugami was going to adopt him. His mother had agreed to let her. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He wouldn't have had to suffer anymore. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He was...</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Going to...</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Be happy...</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Riku dropped the papers and hugged Tsurugami's corpse. He began crying again. He lost everything.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>He had lost everyone! </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>'Why...what did I do to deserve this....please...give me Ryo-chan and Tsurugami-sensei back! Please!!'</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Riku began sobbing loudly. He cried like he never had before. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>~</em>
</p><p>
  <em>That night, he didn't leave his teachers side. Even when the police came. They took him in for questioning but they couldn't link him to the crime. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The next three years, would be spent alone. He would make no friends and would study hard to become an Ultimate. He wanted Tsurugami to be proud of him, even if he couldn't be proud of himself. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He did fulfill her wish for him to become an Ultimate, but....at what cost?</em>
</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>Ren continued to hug his friend. He didn't know what had triggered Riku's meltdown, but he didn't want to press. He would be there for his friend. Cause they were practically best friends...right?</p><p>"Riku-chan...just take a few deep breaths and try to think of something nice. Like a meadow of sunflower. Freshly bloomed. Sunflowers symbolize happiness." Ren said.</p><p>He rubbed Riku's back in a comforting manner. He felt relieved as Riku's breathing became more calm. Ren found himself smiling.</p><p>Riku ended up wearing himself out and passed out in Ren's arms. Of course, Ren was fine with that. He lifted up Riku, the best he could, and laid him down in the bed. He pulled the covers over him. </p><p>After he was done, Ren took a final look at Riku.</p><p>"Please sleep well. Tomorrow can always be better." The botanist said. </p><p>With that, he left the assistants room.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Does anyone ready this? It’s really IMPORTANT </p><p>GO READ THIS STORY ON MY WATTPAD AT CARAMALTIGER47. ITS GOT PICTURES AND ART AND EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Medical Emergency</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"<strong>Good morning, everyone! It is now 7 a.m. and nighttime is officially over! Time to rise and shine! Get ready to greet another beee-yutiful day!</strong>"</p><p>Arata yawned silently and sat up in his bed. He glanced around and sighed. As he stood up, he felt a pounding sensation in his head. </p><p>He felt nothing but pain as he stumbled forwards. This sudden pounding began to greatly effect his sense of balance.</p><p>Before he knew what was happening, he was falling backwards. Darkness engulfed him entirely.</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>That morning, only a few students showed up to breakfast. </p><p>Atsu, Sara, Ren, Riku, and Kotori.</p><p>Ren found this to be strange, but he didn't question it. Everyone had their own things to do, and he could respect that. He was simply focused on Riku at the moment, who had yet to look up from his food. </p><p>Ren watched him carefully, looking for any signs that the boy was willing to talk to him. As the oldest of a large family, he always had a natural affinity to protect those who couldn't do so themselves.</p><p>'<em>You poor thing. I can only imagine how this is all affecting you. But don't worry. As your friend, I'll be here for you.</em>'</p><p>Ren reached out and gently took Riku's hand in his own. He made sure to keep his grip loose in case Riku wanted to pull away. However, Riku only held his hand tighter. </p><p>The botanist felt relieved when Riku finally began to gain a bit more strength. </p><p>"Make sure you eat well, Riku-chan. I'll be here till you finish." Ren said.</p><p>Riku nodded and hesitantly let go of Ren's hand in order to finish his meal.</p><p>Ren took this time to look around the cafeteria. He had never gotten to know many of his other classmates. He had been meaning to but he might have just simply forgotten. </p><p>He spotted Kotori sitting with Sara. That was an odd pairing. Although, he was glad that he classmates were growing more fond of each other.</p><p>'<em>With our classes friendship, I'm certain that we won't fall to despair.</em>'</p><p>Ren looked off to his other side and noticed that Atsu was eating by himself. That was also strange. </p><p>Atsu always seemed to get along with almost everyone. It was blindly obvious that something was happening between him and Koharu. But that was irrelevant.</p><p>Ren kept thinking up possible theories in his head. Perhaps Atsu was staying distant because he was paranoid of his hearing loss. Unlike Ren, Atsu couldn't read lips(as far as he could tell), which made it hard for him to communicate with everyone.</p><p>'<em>This motive is very unfair. I wonder what Monokuma's reasons for doing this was. Maybe he needed something a little more dangerous to push us forwards.</em>'</p><p>Ren suddenly realized another thing that was strange. Where was Arata? He's never missed breakfast before.</p><p>'<em>Maybe me and Riku-chan can go check on him after Riku-chan's done eating. He is our closest friend.</em>'</p><p>Ren decided on it by the time Riku finished eating. The botanist reached forwards and grabbed Riku's empty plate and headed back to the kitchen to put it in the sink. </p><p>When he returned to Riku, he began to speak. How did he know he was speaking? Because he felt the vibrations of his own vocal chords.</p><p>"Hey Riku-chan, Do you want to go check on Arata-kun? He's normally here so I thought maybe he slept in or something." Ren said.</p><p>Riku shifted slightly and raised his head.</p><p>"Y-Yeah...he's ou-our friend aft-after a-a-all." Riku stuttered.</p><p>The expression on the assistants face didn't seem to match with what he said. But Ren knew better than to point that out. </p><p>He reached out and grabbed Riku's hand, and Riku didn't object as the botanist began to guide him like always.</p><p>-</p><p>7:49 am. </p><p>When they reached the boys dormitory, Ren guided Riku towards Arata's door. The assistant had been walking quite oddly. Every so often he would speed up or slow down. </p><p>They stopped in front of the survivors door.</p><p>"Alright, I don't want to barge in so I'm going to knock. Riku-chan, can you tell me if he answers?" Ren requested.</p><p>"O-Of cou-course!"</p><p>Due to the assistants stutter, Ren had a difficult time reading his lips, but he was willing to struggle. That stutter was a part of who Riku was, and he appreciated it.</p><p>Ren smiled to his friend then turned towards the door. Raising his hand, he gently knocked on the door. He looked towards Riku, awaiting an answer. </p><p>Riku's facial expression made it clear that he was trying hard to focus. After a moment, he spoke again. </p><p>"May-maybe you should tr-try again." Riku suggested.</p><p>Ren nodded and knocked on the door once more, with a little bit more force this time. He looked towards Riku. He grew worried as the assistant shook his head. Looks like he had no choice.</p><p>"Arata, I'm going to come in to see if your okay." Ren said the warning in case the survivor was just ignoring them.</p><p>Ren turned the doorknob and the door swung open soundlessly.</p><p>....</p><p> </p><p>.....</p><p> </p><p>......</p><p> </p><p>.......</p><p> </p><p>.........</p><p> </p><p>"R-Ren-chan?" </p><p>For Ren, he couldn't read his friends lips, as he was too focused on the survivors body that was laying unmoving on the floor.</p><p>Ren was by Arata's side in an instant. Remembering what he learned from past experiences, he grabbed the boys wrist to check for a pulse.</p><p>Thankfully, it was there. And it sounded decently normal.</p><p>"I think Arata-kun passed out. Or maybe he hit his head."</p><p>"Wh-What?! Is he go-gonna be okay?!" Riku asked, frantic.</p><p>"I believe so. He looks like he may be sick. His forehead is warm and he seems to be sweating a lot." Ren said, looking back up at his worried companion. "It's alright, Riku-chan. He's alive." </p><p>Riku managed to calm down a little but that didn't stop him from worrying. </p><p>"L-lets get him t-t-to the inf-infirmary. Th-they have med-medical stuff the-there."</p><p>"Good idea. I'll try to carry him there. You can still grab my arm and I can lead you there too." Ren offered.</p><p>"Okay...tha...thanks..."</p><p>Ren struggled to lift Arata into his arms. The boy was surprisingly lighter than he thought; but he still wasn't the best when it came to strength. Rolled a 5.</p><p>Once he finally managed, he shifted the unconscious survivor onto his back. He waited for Riku to grab his arm so that he could lead him to the nurses office as well.</p><p>-</p><p>8:00 am.</p><p>Atsu finally finished his meal. He placed his empty plate in the sink in the kitchen. Since the motive was given, he's been especially down because of it.</p><p>Being a 'Swindler', he was good at sweet talking people. Talking is his best thing. Now, he can't even hear himself talk, which led to him not talking altogether. He can't hear anyone. He can't hear himself. He was just alone in his head. </p><p>'<em>Well...at least I have some memories to accompany me.....</em>'</p><p>He started heading out of the cafeteria, along with Sara who was leading/dragging Kotori behind her, more or less against her will. </p><p>That was strange. Aren't they both blind? How does Sara know where to go? </p><p>Lost in thought again, something caught his eye. When he looked up, he was met with the sight of three boys, although, one was unconscious.</p><p>"Wha-? What happened?!" Atsu called out, once again, very loudly.</p><p>His sudden sentence caused Sara to freeze in place, and Kotori ended up bumping into her.</p><p>"Huh? What's going on?" Kotori questioned.</p><p>"Don't be alarmed. I think Arata-kun is just sick. Me and Riku-chan found him passed out in his room. He might've hit his head too." Ren said.</p><p>"H-How do we te-tell Kenshin-kun?" Riku asked.</p><p>Ren looked towards Atsu, who looked just as confused as he was a few seconds ago, if not more.</p><p>Sara turned to where she heard Ren's voice originate from. A slight grunt from Ren as he shifted Arata slightly.</p><p>"If you can't carry him, Kazuhiko-san, then give him to Kenshin-san and lead him to the infirmary. He might get the basic idea that we're trying to help Katsune-san." Sara suggested.</p><p>"W-We?" Riku asked.</p><p>"What's wrong? Is it weird for me to help people?" Sara asked, shooting her words at the poor assistant.</p><p>"Th-that's not w-what I meant!" Riku squeaked, his voice hitting a higher octave in the process. </p><p>Atsu was standing there, watching the two groups talk back and forth, but he didn't know what about. He just watched as Ren approached him, holding the unconscious survivor. He watch as the botanist sort of, held Arata out to him. </p><p>'<em>Oh! He wants me to carry him!</em>'</p><p>Atsu quickly hoisted Arata into his arms. He looked back at Ren, waiting for some sign of what he should do. </p><p>Riku quickly latched onto Ren once more and Ren gesture for Atsu to follow him. He quickly complied.</p><p>Sara continued to drag Kotori along with her. But Kotori seemed a lot more willing, considering she'd just heard something had happened to Arata.</p><p>"I hope he's okay. It's not like him to just...nevermind..." Kotori trailed off. </p><p>-</p><p>Once the small group of students reached the infirmary, Ren directed for Atsu to place Arata down on one of the beds. Atsu nodded and laid him down gently.</p><p>Ren began to busy around, looking for different things.</p><p>"You all don't have to stay here. I think I got it from here." Ren said to the lingering students.</p><p>"No. I'm staying. I wanna know that Arata-san's gonna be okay." Kotori said, firmly.</p><p>"M-me too." Riku agreed.</p><p>"I have to guide Kotori-san back to her room, so I'm staying as well." Sara said.</p><p>"Yeah, that's the reason." Kotori said, sarcastically.</p><p>"That's fine. I'm glad to see everyone has mutual respect for Arata-kun." Ren said.</p><p>The botanist grabbed a cloth and ran it under cold water for a minute. He then wrung the water out of the cloth. </p><p>Ren walked back to Arata and laid the cool and damp cloth over the survivors forehead. He motioned for Atsu to hold the cloth in place, which he did.</p><p>"You should take a seat, Riku-chan. But if you want to help me, don't be scared to ask." Ren said.</p><p>Riku nodded and stumbled towards one of the other beds. He sat down on the edge of it.</p><p>Although Ren couldn't hear him, he knew Riku had said something incoherent since his lips had moved, but he obviously didn't want Ren to see.</p><p>He shook of the feeling and continued to move around. </p><p>"Kotori-san, sit down. Save your energy." Sara instructed, making Kotori sit on the other side of the bed Riku sat at.</p><p>"Charming." Kotori mumbled, chuckling.</p><p>Sara sighed. She would never understand why the Ultimate Investigator was so childish.</p><p>"There doesn't seem to be very many antibiotics. This type here should help Arata-kun but it's not very strong. Plus, it's in a pill form and he can't swallow it if he isn't conscious." Ren spoke aloud.</p><p>He was holding a small bottle that was labeled for a cold and the flu.</p><p>"Actually, if there's enough moisture in his mouth and someone pushes it down far enough, it's possible to get him to swallow it while he's in this state. However, this does consist of a mouth to mouth assistance." Sara said, completely serious.</p><p>"A-Ah, then I'm qua-qualified to d-d-do it! I've as-assisted people in ambu-ambulances before. As the U-Ultimate A-Assitant, I think...i-i can do it." Riku spluttered.</p><p>"He needs to swallow two of these. Are you sure you're up for it?" Ren asked.</p><p>Riku nodded, although he looked hesitant.</p><p>"I-I just ne-need some water an-and someone to-o hold his head u-up." Riku supplied.</p><p>"I'll hold his head up. We need a bottle of water so..." Ren trailed off.</p><p>The botanist approached Atsu and made a drinking motion. Atsu, of course, looked confused as all hell.</p><p>"Uh...do you need...water?" Atsu asked, surprisingly less loud.</p><p>Ren nodded in affirmation. Atsu seemed to understand the task that was given to him. Rushing out of the room, he left the other students to wait.</p><p>"How do you think he hit his head? Did you find anything on the floor that he could have slipped on? If there wasn't, then what happened? You said he was sick, right? I might be able to give a physical examination but I can't see." Kotori said, barely stopping to breathe.</p><p>Sara nudged Kotori, as if she were sending her a signal.</p><p>"Oh, you can just answer the first question." Kotori said, realizing how quickly she had been talking.</p><p>"I didn't see anything. Maybe he just fell on his own accord. Do you ever just get up too quickly and your vision starts to get fuzzy? Maybe that happened to him. Riku-chan told me a story about how he ended up passing out during the process." Ren spoke.</p><p>Riku's face became slightly flushed. </p><p>"I-it wasn't my fa-fault..." Riku mumbled.</p><p>"Well obviously. You didn't want to pass out so don't make it sound like it was your fault in the first place." Sara said bluntly.</p><p>"Sara-chan! Think before you speak!" Kotori scolded.</p><p>"....no..." Sara responded.</p><p>"...y-you two get alo-along like me and R-Ren-chan. Opposites att-attract." Riku pointed out, meekly.</p><p>"Well, we're practically a couple. Sara-chan can't seem to get enough of me." Kotori said, wiggling her eyebrows. </p><p>Sara rolled her eyes, seemingly unfazed by the accusation.</p><p>"Your stupidity is rubbing off on me, which is why I chose to stay near you." Sara said, seemingly trying to make a joke.</p><p>"Ow, you wound me, sir!" Kotori said, with such over dramatization that it would've put Theo to shame. </p><p>A few moments later, Atsu returned with a bottle of water. After handing it to him, Ren handed it to Riku. </p><p>
  <strong>(A/N: Yup, I'm gonna describe this process. It's actually possible so pay attention)</strong>
</p><p>Ren held Arata's head up at an angle that would be best for this.</p><p>When Riku was given the pills and uncapped the water bottle. He reached out with one hand to find Arata's mouth. This was a very perilous and disgusting and slightly unhygienic thing but he wanted Arata to get better.</p><p>Quickly, Riku took some water in his mouth and popped the pills in as well. He connected his mouth to Arata's. He pushed the water and pills into Arata's mouth, while pressing a finger against the closest spot he could get to the survivors epiglottis to keep the water and pills from entering his lungs. He blew air into Arata's mouth as well, in order to force the water and pills down the esophagus, which led to the stomach. </p><p>Once he was certain that the pills and water made it through, he pulled away and took his finger off of the epiglottis. He listened closely, trying to hear if Arata was breathing or choking.</p><p>Arata was still breathing.</p><p>It had worked.</p><p>Riku nearly collapsed as he was overwhelmed with relief. </p><p>"Th-thank goodness!" </p><p>Ren laid Arata's head back down on the pillow and replaced the damp cloth that had fallen off the survivors forehead.</p><p>"You were amazing, Riku-chan. Your skills are definitely extraordinary." Ren said.</p><p>Atsu didn't question what had just happened. He was just hoping that it helped Arata...somehow. </p><p>"Alright, me and Kotori-san are going to leave. Take care of Katsune-san." Sara said, pulling Kotori out of the infirmary.</p><p>"I'm gonna go. Give me an update on Arata-san later, okay?" Atsu said/shouted.</p><p>Ren gave the Swindler a thumbs up before he left the infirmary. The botanist checked the clock on the wall. </p><p>It was 9:17 am. </p><p>"Now, we should wait until he wakes up. It shouldn't be too long now..." Ren said.</p><p>Riku nodded.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Read this shit on my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47. It’s so much better on that website</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Something Is Amiss</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>"Arata-kun? Can you here me?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata groaned as he attempted to open his eyes. The area around him was very bright but at the same time,he couldn't see a thing. Where was he?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Who was talking to him?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Do you think the young king has passed on?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"No way! Araaaaaatttaaaaaaaa-chaaaaaann!!!!!!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata grunted in pain as the sound of shouting began to overwhelm him. He couldn't see anything clearly, but he could make out the outline of four figures. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Arata-kun! Listen to me! We do not have much time to say our message!" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>That voice...it felt so familiar.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Arata...we've been watching you and the others...we can't move on. We all want you guys to make it out of here." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>There's another voice that he recognized.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Don't worry, Arata-chan!! We're gonna be watching over you guys! You've been doing great!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Another voice..</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Young king, as your knight, even after death, I am in your debt." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Who were these people....</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Theo...I'm sorry..." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Theo?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"For the final time, I have long since forgiven you, Sora-dono." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Arata-kun! You must listen. Something is amiss within Soaring Heights High School. You must collect yourself and the companion that is next to your bed! Head to the staircase that it next to the girls dormitory!" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>So many voices. He didn't know what to make of all of them.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Please...make it out of here.."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"We're leaving it up to you, Young King."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You've got this, Arata-chan! Say hi to my mom for me when you get out!" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"We shall be counting on you, Arata-kun...so please...do not make the same mistake that I did..."</em>
</p><p>—————————————————————</p><p>2:30 pm.</p><p>"Aaaa....AAAAHHHHH!!!!!" Arata screamed at the top of his lungs. He began flailing around desperately.</p><p>He couldn't breathe. </p><p>
  <em>He couldn't breathe</em>
</p><p>"Whoa! What are you doing!?" Beside him, Atsu nearly toppled out of the chair he had been sitting in.</p><p>Arata didn't hear the other boy due to his own screaming. He jerked around wildly, clawing at his hair. </p><p>"Arata-san, please calm down! You're fine!"</p><p>The Swindler didn't know that Arata was screaming but he kind of figured it. Grabbing Arata's wrist, he stopping the survivor from flailing his arms everywhere. The survivors strength took Atsu by surprise, but he managed to keep his hold.</p><p>"Arata-san! I know you can hear me, damnit!! I'm pretty sure America can hear me! Please stop!" Atsu pleaded.</p><p>Of course, this didn't work. Arata continued to struggles against Atsu. A few moments passed before the survivor managed to calm down.</p><p>However, Arata broke into a fit of coughing, causing Atsu to let go of him. Letting out one final hack, he ended up coughing up blood that had been blocking his windpipe. This left him desperately gasping for air. Anyone could hear that he wasn't breathing right, except the students who were temporarily deaf, like Atsu.</p><p>Speaking of Atsu, the Swindler was staring at Arata with wide and fearful eyes, like he had just witnessed mur-...anyways.</p><p>'<em>Wait, What the fuck!?</em>'</p><p>"My voice...I can speak...?" Arata said, his voice was gravely.</p><p>"If you're saying something, then I can't hear you. But at least give me some signal that you're okay." Atsu said, talking loudly.</p><p>Arata looked down at the bed he was laying in. Was he in the infirmary? Why? He just passed out, right? It shouldn't be a big deal...</p><p>The survivor waved his hand in a signal that he was alright. Atsu relaxed, but he was still on edge.</p><p>"What's wrong? You completely lost yourself, man." Atsu said, visibly worried.</p><p>'<em>I don't remember what I dreamed about...i just remember it was important...something about the girls dormitory staircase...</em>'</p><p>Arata grunted and he swung his legs over the edge of bed. When his feet hit the ground, he became overly nauseous. He covered his mouth with his hands, trying to keep the bile from rising in his throat. </p><p>"Arata-san! You shouldn't move so much!" Atsu exclaimed.</p><p>The taller boy hopped out of his chair in order to support his friend. </p><p>Once Arata managed to regain his senses, he looked around the infirmary. </p><p>His Monopad was sitting on one of the side tables. Hobbling over to it, Arata grabbed the device and turned it on. Not wanting to damage his voice further, he brought up the map and turned it to Atsu, all while pointing to a specific spot on the map: The staircase next to the girls dormitory.</p><p>"Uh...the stairs? What about it?" Atsu questioned.</p><p>Arata mentally facepalmed and pointed to himself then back to the staircase. He made a stick figure walking motion with two fingers.</p><p>"Do you want me to take you there?" Atsu asked.</p><p>Arata nodded, hoping his restless irritation wasn't that noticeable. The Swindler nodded as well and easily picked up Arata and slung him over his shoulder. Arata said nothing.</p><p>'<em>Why does this feel so familiar?</em>'</p><p>The two boys exited the infirmary and Atsu carried Arata towards the staircase. </p><p>Once he was there, he didn't see anything. </p><p>"I'm just gonna....keep going up." Atsu said.</p><p>Arata nodded. The taller boy began to ascend the stairs but stopped when he was halfway to the second floor. </p><p>"Huh? Yuu-san? Are you alright?" Atsu called out to the figure.</p><p>After hearing Yuu's name, Arata forced himself out of Atsu's arms and turned to the girl. Yuu was laying at the midway point in staircase, seemingly asleep.</p><p>Although his body protested against it, Arata moved and gently shook Yuu. He didn't want to scare her. He was about to use his raspy voice but...</p><p>'<em>Wait, she can't hear me...right?</em>'</p><p>Arata's panic began to subside as he felt Yuu shifting slightly.</p><p>"Ngghh....wha...huh...?" Yuu mumbled.</p><p>The small girl blinked open her eyes and made a short groaning noise.</p><p>"Oh...did I....fall asleep....again...?" Yuu asked, even though it was obvious that she had.</p><p>Arata nodded slowly. He was glad that Yuu had just fallen asleep. But there was something bothering him.</p><p>'<em>Her eyes are kinda red and puffy. Was she crying?</em>'</p><p>Arata watched as Yuu got to her feet again. She began rubbing her eyes slightly. </p><p>"Arata-san! Give me an update! Is Yuu-san alright?!" Atsu said, loudly.</p><p>Arata turned to the taller boy and nodded. He knew that Yuu was still tired, but he couldn't carry her in his current state. He pointed to Atsu and then to Yuu. </p><p>Atsu, surprisingly, seemed to understand what he was getting at. The Swindler knelt down next to Yuu and hoisted her onto his back. </p><p>Having been carried by Atsu before, Yuu didn't show any restraint. She simply feel asleep against Atsu, who was staring at her in surprise.</p><p>Arata was about to speak when he heard something chilling. He was frozen in place as the sound rang throughout the school.</p><p>
  <strong>*Ding Dong Ding*</strong>
</p><p>The monitor that was on the staircase flickered on. </p><p>"<strong>A body has been discovered! Everyone please assemble in the library. All rooms will be unlocked for investigation purposes. After a certain amount of time, a class trial will be held. Now, investigate!</strong>"</p><p>When the monitor flickered off, Arata remained staring in disbelief.</p><p>"H-hey, Arata-san? Why was Monokuma just on the screen? Did something happen?" Atsu asked, breaking Arata from his thoughts.</p><p>Arata grabbed Atsu by the arm, almost making him lose his grip on Yuu. The survivor continued to drag the Swindler down the steps and headed to the left, towards the library. </p><p>Why was he in such a hurry? It could just be Monokuma messing with them again, knowing that some of them couldn't hear the announcement, and those who could, can't make their way there since they can't see, and those who can see, can't tell anyone what happened. </p><p>Yeah. It was just a joke. Of course no one died. Monokuma was just being an asshole again.</p><p>As Arata approached the open library doors, he noticed someone was standing outside them. They weren't moving.</p><p>"Shinobu-san? Why are you here?" Arata asked the Luckster.</p><p>"I...do not know...what is happening...Katsune-san, who is dead? The body discovered announcement played when I walked through the door. Who is dead?" Kichino asked, slightly frantic.</p><p>'<em>That's right, Shinobu-san can't see.</em>'</p><p>"I don't know...is someone even dead?" Arata said.</p><p>At least, that's what Arata tried to say as he entered the library. </p><p>....</p><p> </p><p>....</p><p> </p><p>However, </p><p> </p><p>.....</p><p> </p><p>His words completely disappeared the second he saw it.</p><p> </p><p>.....</p><p> </p><p>......</p><p> </p><p>.......</p><p> </p><p>What was this feeling?</p><p> </p><p>.....</p><p> </p><p>Was it the feeling of defeat?</p><p> </p><p>Knowing that you could've done something, but you didn't.</p><p> </p><p>....</p><p> </p><p>Was this despair?</p><p> </p><p>....</p><p> </p><p>.....</p><p> </p><p>Was this a joke?</p><p> </p><p>....</p><p> </p><p>If it's not, then why is Koharu laying on the floor, motionless!?</p><p>Koharu Akifumi, lay on the ground, her eyes bloodshot and afraid. Dried tears were visible in the light. Blood leaked from her mouth, forming a puddle under her head.</p><p>"Katsune-san! Who is dead!?" Kichino said louder.</p><p>Arata still couldn't comprehend the despair inducing scene in front of him. He simply stared at it with a blank face.</p><p>"Arata!" Kichino shouted the survivor name.</p><p>"I...I....it's-"</p><p>"K-Koharu-chan?! A-Arata-san, why is she laying there!? Is she okay!? We have to check!!"</p><p>Arata felt his heart drop when he noticed Atsu standing in the doorway. At this point, Yuu had woken up as Atsu placed her on the ground. She was staring at Koharu's body with wide eyes.</p><p>Kichino was still standing in the doorway, not really doing anything.</p><p>"Koharu-chan? Koharu-chan! Please do something! You're hurt! Arata-san! Help me bring Koharu-chan to the infirmary!" Atsu said, frantically. </p><p>Arata approached the Swindler and placed a hand on his shoulder. Atsu looked at Arata in confusion. </p><p>When they locked eyes, Arata didn't say anything. He simply shook his head. </p><p>After seeing this gesture, Atsu returned his gaze to Koharu's lifeless body. He fell to his knees. The look on his face said it all.</p><p>(Tears. The distant, hollow look in his eyes. He was not longer the same)</p><p>Despair.</p><p>That's the only word that Arata could use to describe the empty look in Atsu's tearful eyes. Arata didn't know what Koharu meant to Atsu, but judging by his reaction, it was a lot.</p><p>"Oh my...so it was telling the truth...." </p><p>Arata turned towards the doorway, where Ren was standing. Behind him, Riku stood there, trembling.</p><p>"H-Huh?! Wh-What is it?!" The assistant nervously spluttered.</p><p>"Riku-chan...someone has killed Akifumi-san..." Ren said, softly.</p><p>Riku didn't move for what what felt like an entire minute.</p><p>"So....the bo-body discovery ann-announcement...wasn't ly-lying..." Riku mumbled. </p><p>"<strong>Wowie! You really have a tactical killer among your ranks huh? Are you sure that one of you isn't some scissors wielding maniac?</strong>" </p><p>The students that could hear turned towards the voice.</p><p>"If you are referring to Genocider Syo, then I doubt anyone here is him." Kichino muttered.</p><p>"Monokuma, if someone is really dead, then give us the antidote for whatever you put in us." </p><p>Arata jumped at the sound of Sara's voice. He had been so thrown off by everything that he hadn't seen her approach. He noticed that Kotori was standing next to her.</p><p>"<strong>Oh? And why should I do that, Shooty McBangBang?</strong>" Monokuma asked.</p><p>The way he said it indicated that he knew something that they didn't.</p><p>Sara, however, either didn't notice, or didn't care.</p><p>At this point, more of the students managed to gather in the library, displaying their own looks of horror. A few of them were missing though.</p><p>"Shut up." Sara said in a dangerously low tone.</p><p>"You should give us the antidote so that we can investigate properly. I'm sure it won't be too fun for you if the class trial is short." Kotori butted in.</p><p>"<strong>Hm. You little bastard may have a point. Alright then! Here's the antidote for everyone!</strong>"</p><p>Monokuma threw a bunch of objects into the air, as if expecting everyone to catch them. Of course, only Sara caught one of the objects. She rolled it around in her hands.</p><p>"What are these?" Sara asked, running her thumb over the small bottle.</p><p>"<strong>Eyedrops! But not just any old eyedrops! These are a very special, Monokuma brand! They were crafted by yours truly. The other bottles are for the no-talkers. They're special Monokuma brand pills!</strong>"</p><p>As the mechanical bear explained, Arata couldn't help but point something out.</p><p>"What about the students that can't hear? What's their antidote?" </p><p>Everyone that could hear, turned towards Arata, looking shocked.</p><p>"<strong>Well that's 'bear'y unexpected! Upupupu~, since when did you get your voice back, Arata-chan?</strong>"</p><p>"I don't...know exactly...but I think it returned when I woke up in the infirmary." Arata explained.</p><p>"<strong>Oh well, I guess nothing can be done. But as for those who can't hear, don't worry! Prepare yourselves!</strong>" Monokuma said.</p><p>After the sudden warning, Monokuma leaped at Atsu and landed on his head. Wires emerged from his hands and they coiled around Atsu's head. The ends of the wires suddenly jammed themselves into the boys ears. </p><p>Atsu screeched in pain and his entire body began to convulse. If someone were to compare it to something similar, it would look like he was getting possessed. Nobody could move as the process continued.</p><p>The wires pulled themselves out of Atsu's ears and simply hovered around. Monokuma hopped off of Atsu and looked around. Everyone was looking at him in fear. </p><p>"Huh...Huh?....I can....h-hear...?" Atsu said.</p><p>Arata was about to approach him when Monokuma jumped on Ren, who was also taken by surprise as the wires entered his ears. </p><p>Ren began screeching and dropped to the ground. He was seizing like Atsu had. Riku looked completely and utterly helpless as he heard his friends pain.</p><p>When Monokuma pulled the wires out of Ren's ears, the botanist shakily got to his feet and gave a crooked smile.</p><p>"Ow." </p><p>'<em>Alright. That was two, so that means that there are two left.</em>'</p><p>His thoughts were interrupted by Monokuma leaping onto Haru's back. The girl barely registered anything as the wires plunged themselves into her ears. </p><p>Surprisingly, Haru didn't even move a single bit. Her face remained neutral. It was like she was used to pain like that. Strange.</p><p>Monokuma removed the wires from Haru's ears and looked towards Yuu. The small girl looked panicked.</p><p>The bear practically tackled Yuu to the ground. The wires entered her ears and she began to cry. It wasn't screaming, like Ren and Atsu had. It was just crying. </p><p>The sound of it was heartbreaking.</p><p>Arata clenched his fist, keeping himself from attacking the bear. He knew Monokuma was helping her....somehow.</p><p>When it was finally over, Yuu lay on the ground, surprisingly still conscious. </p><p>Monokuma jumped off of her. The wires recoiled back into his paws.</p><p>"<strong>My work here is done. You bastard better start moving! I might get bored if you don't hurry up!</strong>" </p><p>After that threat, Monokuma threw something to the ground then disappeared in a cloud of smoke.</p><p>Sara had opened one of the eyedrop bottles and was putting a small drop in each of her eyes. For a moment, nothing happened. It was only when her eyes started burning that she felt something. </p><p>The burning subsided after a moment, then Sara blinked a few times, looking around.</p><p>"The eyedrops work. It's safe, everyone." Sara said.</p><p>That's when Ren helped Riku's eyes and Sara helped Kotori's eyes. Then, Kichino was left to work on his own eyes. Everyone seemed relieved for a moment before Arata spoke up.</p><p>"Has anyone seen Samuru-san or Hideshi-san? They both are missing their voices and they need the Monokuma pill things." Arata said.</p><p>That's when a strange sound got their attention.</p><p>
  <em>*Knock knock knock knock*</em>
</p><p>Everyone fell silent, whether from the knocking sound, or the fact that they didn't really know where it was coming from. </p><p>
  <strong>*Bang bang bang bang*</strong>
</p><p>A few students jumped due to the change in sound. It sounded like the knocking was becoming more desperate.</p><p>"Katsune-san. It is coming from that room." Kichino pointed towards the bookshelf that led to the hidden room </p><p>'<em>How does he-?</em>'</p><p>The survivor slowly approached the bookshelf. He reached over and pressed the small hidden button. The secret door swung open. </p><p>Hideshi tumbled out. </p><p>The mystery boy broke into a fit of coughing. He looked around frantically with a look of accusation in his eyes. </p><p>Time seemed to slowly down as she moved. It was almost like she disappeared for a moment. But Sara grabbed Hideshi by the shoulders and turned him away from Koharu's body. She had a bottle of the Monokuma voice pills. She held it out to Hideshi.</p><p>"It's for your voice. We need you to stay conscious." Sara explained.</p><p>Surprisingly, Hideshi didn't ask any questions. He simply opened the bottle and took one of the pills out. After he put it into his mouth, he swallowed it.</p><p>Everyone waited a moment for something to happen. And then, Hideshi clutched his throat, making a gagging noise. </p><p>Nobody moved as the mystery boy fell on the ground, wheezing and gasping for air. The effects didn't seem to last too long. Hideshi got to his feet, still coughing.</p><p>"What the- *cough* hell was tha- *cough cough* that stuff?" Hideshi rasped.</p><p>"What were you doing in there, Nakashima-san?" Arata asked, ignoring the boys pain.</p><p>"I was just *cough* looking and then the bookshelf *cough* closed while I was in there!" Hideshi exclaimed.</p><p>For the first time since emerging from the secret room, Hideshi turned around to look at what Sara was trying to keep him from seeing. The second that the boy laid eyes on the crimson liquid that poured out of the mouth of Koharu's corpse, he was out like a light. He hit the ground with a thump. </p><p>The remaining students stood in place. They were unsure of what they were to do next. </p><p>"We shouldn't waste anymore time. We have to start the investigation now or we won't make it through the trial. Arata-kun, Sara-chan. You two stay here and help me investigate this room. The rest of you, split into small groups but make sure that no one is investigating on their own." Kotori instructed.</p><p>-</p><p>After they decided their groups, the students went their seprate ways. Atsu was one of the last students to leave. The look on his face made it clear that he was too far gone to be any help right now. </p><p>"Hey, Arata-kun. Can you check the Monokuma Files to see if there is anything that we could use?" Kotori asked.</p><p>"Oh, uh sure. Give me a second." Arata said.</p><p>The survivor pulled the device from his pocket and turned it on. The first thing to pop up was the most recent Monokuma File.</p><p>"Victim: Koharu Akifumi</p><p>Estimated Time Of Death: 11:30 am</p><p>Body Was Found: In the library</p><p>Other Information: Indication of head trauma before the killing blow was done. Blood under one of their hands fingernails. Most likely that there was a struggle."</p><p>"It doesn't say anything about the cause of death." Arata said once he was done reading.</p><p>"That's gonna be a problem. But we can figure it out after we're done. I'll keep investigating the body. You guys go look around that secret room. There has to be a reason that Hideshi was closed in there." Kotori said.</p><p>Arata nodded. He and Sara turned towards the opened bookshelf. The survivor pulled out his Monopad and turned on the flashlight that was built into it. Shining it into the dark area, he began walking into the room. </p><p>The dust in that room had been stirred up alot since the survivor was last in that room. Well, considering Hideshi had been in that room, it quickly became less of a surprise. The pedistals were the same, but Arata noticed that one of them was less dusty then the rest. Once again, he dismissed it as something Hideshi did. </p><p>Something gleamed in the corner of Arata's vision and he quickly shinned the light towards it. It was laying in the corner of the room. When Arata reached down to pick up the object, he immediadly knew what it was. It was a syringe.</p><p>"Katsune-san. Did you find something?" Sara asked, standing in the doorway.</p><p>"I only found this. It's a syringe. It might've been taken from either the chemistry lab or the biology lab." Arata explained.</p><p>"Hang onto it for now." Sara said.</p><p>Arata frowned. She was being careless.</p><p>"Are you sure that's a good idea? For all you know, I'm the murderer and the second that you turn your back, I'm gonna destroy this evidence." Arata said, holding up the syringe.</p><p>"Arata-kun, think about it. If you really were the murderer, then why would you have revealed the syringe to Sara-chan? You could've easily kept it on your person. Besides, the Monokuma Files said that the time of death was around 11:30 am. At that time, you were in the infirmary." Kotori said, walking up beside Sara.</p><p>Arata raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything else. He held the syringe out to Kotori, who stared at it in confusion.</p><p>"You should take it. I don't know if you're the murderer or not, but I know that you're a trustworthy person. Even if you were the blackened, you wouldn't destroy evidence cause you seem like the person that would play fair." Arata explained.</p><p>Sara narrowed her eyes at him then turned and walked towards Koharu's body.</p><p>Kotori grabbed the syringe from Arata, not pressing any further. </p><p>They both exited the secret room, but Arata kept the door open, just in case. </p><p>"Alright, Kotori-san, can you tell me what you figured out from looking at the body?" Arata asked.</p><p>"Yeah. So the Monokuma Files basically sums it up, but I can't seem to find her cause of death. It's true that she was experiencing head trauma before she died, but that doesn't seem to be enough to kill her." Kotori explained.</p><p>Arata watched as the Ultimate Investigator kneeled down beside the body and tilted Koharu's head slightly.</p><p>"There's a dent in her skull, right about here. While I was looking around, I noticed that some of the books had fallen off of a nearby shelf, and a found that the bookcase had blood on it. I'm guessing she hit her head pretty hard on it." Kotori continued.</p><p>This was the first time that Arata had taken a good look at Koharu's body. The Ultimate Historian was sprawled out on the ground, her head resting in a puddle of blood. The look of desperation was prominent in her eyes. It was hard to look at.</p><p>"And also, the Monokuma Files pointed out something that I didn't notice at first. Under her fingernails, there's dried blood. Judging by the position and the fact that this blood doesn't seem to be her own, I'm guessing she fought back against her assailant. She probably scratched them pretty good too." Kotori said.</p><p>Sara cleared her throat, grabbing their attention.</p><p>"I'm going to go check Akifumi-san's room. If I find anything, I'll tell one of you." Sara said, turning to leave the library.</p><p>Arata made a move to go after her, but he was stopped when Kotori grabbed his arm.</p><p>"Leave her. She may not look like it, but she's trustworthy." The investigator said. </p><p>Kotori let go of Arata's arm. </p><p>"Okay....Uh, I'm gonna go find some of the other groups, just to see if they found anything. If you find anything else, tell me." Arata said.</p><p>With that, Arata left the library.</p><p>-</p><p>"Arata-chan! Did you come here you see Haru-chan?" The puppet asked.</p><p>Arata stood in the doorway to the rec room. He shook his head.</p><p>"Sorry, but I came here to see if anyone found anything yet." Arata explained.</p><p>Haru wasn't the only person in the rec room, he noticed. Atsu was there as well.</p><p>"Atsu-san...How are you holding up? Did you find anything?" Arata asked, slowly.</p><p>Atsu stared at a rack of magazines with a fixed expression.</p><p>"....no....sorry...." </p><p>Arata barely managed to hear what the Swindler had said. He decided to not say anything else to him.</p><p>"Alright. I'm gonna go to the next room. I think it's the chemistry lab. If you need anything, I'll be there." Arata said, turning to leave.</p><p>"Goodbye, Arata-chan!" The puppet yelled after him.</p><p>The survivor continued towards the chemistry lab. He reached out and grabbed the handle on the door. It swung open without a sound. </p><p>The room was dark.</p><p>Very dark. </p><p>The moment that he stepped into the room, light flooded his vision. </p><p>He wasn't prepared for the sight in front of him.</p><p>"Arata-chan! Me and Atsu-kun n-" The puppets voice came to a stop as she saw what lay in that room.</p><p>
  <strong>*Ding Dong Ding*</strong>
</p><p>"<strong>A body has been discovered! Everyone please assemble in the Chemistry Lab. All rooms will be unlocked for investigation purposes. After a certain amount of time, a class trial will be held. Now, investigate!</strong>" </p><p>Why was this happening?</p><p>'<em>You've....you've gotta be kidding me....how...?</em>'</p><p>At that point, Atsu had made his way over to them after hearing the announcement. As he looked into the room, his eyes became even more pained.</p><p>"Why.....Samuru-san....."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Go read this story on my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47 for a better version with pictures and memes and less terrible last-second descriptions</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. I Must Be Dreaming Cause I Don’t Believe In Ghosts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Arata was the first one to move after what seemed like forever. He gulped and entered the room. As his eyes looked over Yukio's body, he began to feel an overwelming sense of dread. </p><p>The Ultimate Mad Scientist was sprawled on the floor. Everything about him almost looked normal, and then there was his face. Or, the place were his face should have been, looked like it had come straight out of a horror movie.</p><p>There was a large hole in Yukio's face. The inside of his head was exposed, including part of his brain. It looked like something had melted right through the front of his face. Shockingly, the only blood around him came from the small glass shards that were lodged in the remaining parts of his face. </p><p>"A-Arata-chan...." </p><p>Arata was brought back to reality by the voice of Haru's puppet. When he looked back at her, he was surpised to see that Haru was looking directly at him, not at the ground. What was even more surprising was the face that she looked...scared? The change in her face wasn't much, but it was enough for him to notice.</p><p>"Arata-kun! What happen-" </p><p>Kotori stopped when she saw the barely recognizable corpse that lay on the chemistry lab floor. </p><p>"Oh...dear lord...." Kotori trailed off. </p><p>"Wh-Why did the b-body discovery ano-" </p><p>Riku made a sharp turn in the opposite direction the second that he laid eyes on Yukio's body. He had his hands over his mouth, apparently trying not to throw up.</p><p>"What on earth...Arata-kun, explain." Sara demanded, pushing past the rest of the students so that she could get to him.</p><p>"I...I don't know...I don't understand why he's here....is that even allowed? Two people being killed at the same time?" Arata asked.</p><p>"<strong>It sure as hell is allowed!</strong>" Monokuma said, having just appeared.</p><p>"Hang on. Won't this effect the trial? If two people are dead, then there could be two different killers." Kotori said.</p><p>Monokuma tapped his chin, seemingly thinking.</p><p>"<strong>It won't effect the trial one bit! If it turns out that there are two killers, then you just have to find one of them. If you manage to vote for one of the killers, then they'll be executed alone and they other killer will get a free pass! Upupupu~</strong>"</p><p>"Hold on! That isn't fair!" Haru's puppet protested.</p><p>"<strong>Life's not fair, kid. You better get used to it. Now hurry up and investigate! I'm getting bored already.</strong>" With that, Monokuma disappeared</p><p>Everyone stood there in complete silence. </p><p>"It seems that the stakes are raising. As this game progresses, people are becoming restless, as well as merciless." </p><p>Everyone looked back at the Ultimate Luckster, who had just appeared behind the group, followed by Yuu. He made his way to the front of the group, pushing past Arata and into the chemistry lab.</p><p>"Investigating this crime would be useless, but it might make the trial less boring so I suggest that you all don't waste anymore time. Katsune-san. Check the Monokuma Files. There might be something useful in there." Kichino said.</p><p>Arata was hesitant to follow the other boy's instructions. He pulled out his Monopad and read the file aloud.</p><p>"Victim: Yukio Samuru</p><p>Estimated Time of Death: 11:40</p><p>Body was found: In the chemistry lab</p><p>Cause of death: Lethal exposure to toxic chemicals </p><p>Other Information: Glass shards scattered around body. Left side of face is gone. scratch marks on right side."</p><p>"Wait, scratch marks...?" Sara questioned.</p><p>"Sara-chan....can you come with me for a moment...?" Kotori asked, her voice sounded strained.</p><p>Sara looked over at the investigator in confusion. Then her mouth formed an 'O' shape.</p><p>"Alright." </p><p>"Arata-kun, I'm going to leave the investigation to you. I'm sorry but I have to do something." Kotori apologized.</p><p>Arata didn't question her anymore. He just watched as the two turned and ran back down the stairs. Why did they seem like they were in a hurry?</p><p>"It would be somewhat helpful if you stopped staring into space, Katsune-san. I need you to assist the investigation." Kichino said.</p><p>"Fine, just stop being an asshole." Arata shot back at him.</p><p>Kichino widened his eyes as the insult was said.</p><p>"Stop with your vulgar language." The Luckster scoffed.</p><p>Arata rolled his eyes and looked around the scene. One of the cabinets was open somewhat. Walking over to it, he opened it all the way and discovered a box of syringes. </p><p>The contents of the box looked like it had been leveled, as if someone had carelessly dunked their hand into it.</p><p>Perhaps they were in a hurry.</p><p>Arata's eyes trailed down towards the floor and back towards Yukio's body. That's when he noticed something near the Mad Scientist's hand. </p><p>He approached the objected and knelt down to take it in his hands. </p><p>It was a syringe. It looked like the one that he had found in the library, except, there was something in this syringe. It was a clear liquid but it became obvious that it wasn't water.</p><p>"Did you find something?"</p><p>"Yeah...it's a syringe, filled with....well I don't actually know." Arata said.</p><p>Kichino gazed at the object in Arata's hand. He reached into his pocket and pulled something out. He held it out in front of him.</p><p>"I believe I have an idea of what could be inside it." The Luckster said.</p><p>(A bottle. Small and green with a skull and crossbones on it)</p><p>Arata stared down at the small bottle then looked back up at Kichino in suspicion.</p><p>"Where did you get that?" Arata asked.</p><p>"It was in the trash can. If appears that the killer tossed it in there without much care." Kichino explained.</p><p>Arata narrowed his eyes. For some reason, he felt like something was off with Kichino. He decided to push away the feeling and continue with the investigation.</p><p>"Can I hang onto that?" Arata asked.</p><p>Kichino raised an eyebrow.</p><p>"And why should I even consider trusting you with this piece of evidence? For all that I know, you could be the killer." Kichino accused.</p><p>"Trust me, if I were the killer, we wouldn't be having this conversation." Arata said, forcing a smile.</p><p>'<em>Because I would've killed you first</em>'  He thought to himself.</p><p>"I do not take your words very kindly, Katsune-san. I will hold onto this until the trial. Let see if you are truly worth my time then." The Luckster said.</p><p>After saying that, Kichino stood up and continued to search around the crime scene. </p><p>Arata couldn't help but think about the two most recent murders. What had these two done specifically? If anything, the were the most quiet out of all of the remaining students. He began to go over the details of the last time he saw both of them, alive.</p><p>'<em>Since I apparently passed out before breakfast, I think the last time I saw them was yesterday. Maybe I should ask other people later.</em>' </p><p>Arata stood up and looked towards the main counter in the chemistry lab. He scanned all of the different chemicals, tools, and other things that were on the counter. He noticed a few black splotches on the top. Some of them went straight through the table.</p><p>It was like something had burned right through it. Arata turned back towards Yukio's corpse. He winched as he saw the face again. He approached the body and gazed at the wound.</p><p>'<em>Cause of death was lethal exposure to toxic chemicals. Maybe he was making something incredibly acidic. That would explain the holes in the counter. But how did it get on his face?</em>'</p><p>Arata glanced the missing portion of Yukio's face. It smelled absolutely awful. Like someone was burning rubber and flesh at the same time. He took note of how the rest of Yukio's body seemed perfectly intact, except for a few spots on his neck and chest, but it looked like those were from whatever was on Yukio's face, dripping down.</p><p>There were small shards of glass stuck in the remaining parts of Yukio's face. It was truly horrifying.</p><p>—</p><p>"Shinobu-san, I think we've spent enough time here. Now we need to go to everyone and see if we can get their alibis. Since both of the victims time of deaths were so close, I'd say we need to know where everyone was from 11:30 am to 12:00 pm." Arata concluded.</p><p>"Looks like you have finally said something worth listening to. We must not waste anymore time." Kichino said.</p><p>The Luckster led the way out of the room. He stopped and waited for Arata to follow him.</p><p>"I will be following you." Kichino stated.</p><p>Arata was about to point out that the other boy didn't have to follow him, but he decided against it. </p><p>Not knowing where to start, or where to find anyone, the survivor headed towards the staircase that led down next to the entrance to the girls dormitory. </p><p>"If you were wondering, I was unconscious for a majority of the day. I regained my senses at 2:30 pm." Arata said.</p><p>"I do not recall saying that I cared. I am well aware that you are not the culprit." Kichino scoffed.</p><p>Arata sighed. Didn't Kichino accuse him not even ten minutes ago? He would never get used to how difficult Kichino was. </p><p>-</p><p>Arata paused as he ran into someone when he reached the bottom of the steps.</p><p>"Arata-san? Where is everyone? Why did I wake up outside the library. Isn't Koharu-san dead? Why aren't you guys down there?" Hideshi asked, slightly frantic.</p><p>Arata opened his mouth to speak but Kichino beat him to it.</p><p>"That is because we have been investigating the second murder while you were rendered useless." The Luckster said bluntly.</p><p>Hideshi looked like all the air had been knocked out of him at once.</p><p>"Second? Someone else died? Who was it?" The mystery boy asked.</p><p>Arata froze. The hesitation from the survivor was exactly what Hideshi needed to know that it was someone important.</p><p>"Arata-san....who was it?" Hideshi asked again, his voice was shaking.</p><p>"It was Samuru-san." Kichino finally answered.</p><p>Arata winched as he saw the look of emptiness in Hideshi's eyes. </p><p>"Oh...okay....I...I'm gonna....go...this way..." Hideshi muttered.</p><p>The boy stumbled back down the stairs, heading off to god knows where. </p><p>Part of Arata wanted to feel sympathy for the boy, but another part of him couldn't shake the feeling of uneasiness that Hideshi gave.</p><p>"Do not just stand there. We are losing time."</p><p>"Oh...right. I need to go find Atsu-san, Ren-san, or Riku-san. Atsu-san told me that they were helping take care of me when I passed out. I'm guessing that they can help confirm each other's alibis." Arata said, thinking aloud.</p><p>"Very well. I suppose I shall find any others. Questioning them will prove to be an obnoxious task but I have nothing better to accomplish now." Kichino said, heading the direction of the infirmary.</p><p>Arata headed in the direction of the boys dormitory, hoping to find one of the people that he was looking for.</p><p>-</p><p>Once Arata was out of sight, Kichino turned back towards the staircase and began to make his way up to the third floor. </p><p>There was something that he had to know. It could come in handy later.</p><p>When he reached the top of the steps, Kichino immediately entered the armory. He walked past the close range weapons, and the guns, and right into the poison room. After looking around, he spotted a space on one of the shelves that looked empty. To confirm his suspicions, he gazed at the spot on the shelf that wasn't covered in dust. It definatly looked like someone had taken something that had been sitting there awhile.</p><p>Kichino pulled the green bottle out of his pocket and tried to match the bottom to the shape in the dust. </p><p>Oh?</p><p>That's odd. The bottoms didn't match up. Kichino glanced around the room once more. It was then that he spotted another space on a completely different shelf that was missing a bottle. He placed the bottle on the shelf. This time, the bottoms matched up.</p><p>'<em>That is very odd. This means that either the killer took two different types of the poison or two different people each took a different bottle.</em>'</p><p>Kichino put the poison bottle back into his pocket. The air in that room was making him grow lightheaded. </p><p>-</p><p>"Hey Riku-san. I need to talk to you. Do you know where Atsu-san or Ren-san are?" Arata asked, entering the cafeteria.</p><p>"Oh...I'm I do-don't know whe-where Atsu-kun is b-b-but, Ren-c-chan is in the gard-garden." The assistant said.</p><p>Arata looked towards the foggy window that separated the cafeteria from the indoor garden. He could see the silhouette of someone moving in there. It was probably Ren.</p><p>"Wh-What did yo-you need to-to ask me?" Riku asked.</p><p>"Oh right. I was wondering where you and Ren-san were from 11:30 am to 12:00 pm. I heard from Atsu-san that you guys had taken me to infirmary. When I woke up, it was just Atsu-san there. Did you, Atsu-san and Ren-san take turns watching me?" Arata questioned.</p><p>"A-Ah, yes. Me and Re-Ren-Chan started our tu-turn watching you arou-around 9:15 am. I think it-it was around 12:00 pm w-when Atsu-kun came i-in and asked if he-he could watch you s-so that me and Ren-c-chan could take a break." Riku explained.</p><p>Arata raised an eyebrow but decided not to press any further. The boy looked a bit more stressed than usual anyways.</p><p>"Why is Ren-san in the indoor garden. And why aren't you in there with him?" Arata asked.</p><p>"I-i um...he said he-he was picking o-out flowers f-fo-for our class-classmates." Riku answered.</p><p>Arata felt another pang in his heart.</p><p>"Alright. And one more thing-"</p><p>"<strong>Alright you bastards! I'm tired of waiting! You little brats better be thankful that I gave you extra time for the second murder. Now then, everyone please head to the gymnasium and wait for the elevator.</strong>" </p><p>Arata clenched his teeth as Monokuma's voice talked over him. He turned towards the exit of the cafeteria and glanced back at Riku. Noticing that the assistant was trembling, he decided to speak.</p><p>"Get Ren-san and anyone else you can find on your way here. I'll go on ahead." Arata said.</p><p>He didn't stay long enough to see the assistant nod. </p><p>Arata only had one thing on his mind. </p><p>'<em>I'm fucking done with this killing game.</em>'</p><p>-</p><p>Entering the gymnasium, Arata saw that many of the students had already gathered. Although, one student caught his eye. He walked towards him.</p><p>Stopping right beside Atsu, he began to speak.</p><p>"If it's an consolation, I don't think that Koharu-san went down without a fight. She fought to stay alive. That, I'm sure of." Arata mumbled.</p><p>Arata was surprised to hear a soft chuckle from beside him. He looked towards Atsu. The swindler was crying, but the most odd thing was, that he was smiling.</p><p>"Yeah...she...she always did...like to fight, huh?" Atsu asked, laughing painfully.</p><p>Arata looked behind them. The rest of the students had gathered and were now waiting for the elevator. The looks on everyone's faces couldn't be described.</p><p>There was a loud metal click and the door to the elevator opened up. At first, no one stepped forwards. </p><p>Arata sighed and decided that it should be best for him to lead the rest of them. When he took a step forwards, he noticed someone step forwards as well. They looked at each other and exchanged a look of determination. </p><p>Kotori and Arata were the first two to enter the elevator. Afterwards, Yuu went in, followed by Haru. Then it was Ren and Riku. Then Atsu. Then Kichino. Then Hideshi. Then Sara.</p><p>Once they were all in the elevator, the doors closed and they slowly began their decent to the trial ground. </p><p>Arata looked down as he felt Yuu grab his hand. He smiled down at her as she buried her face in his side. He looked to his other side when someone else grabbed his other hand. It was Haru. She was looking up at him with her piercing red eyes. But for some reason, he didn't feel any fear from looking at them. </p><p>-</p><p>There was a large clank as the elevator came to a stop on the trial grounds. The doors opened and the students made their way to their podium.</p><p>Arata didn't think he would be back in this place so soon. But nonetheless, he wouldn't falter. </p><p>
  <em>The first victim of this case, Koharu Akifumi, The Ultimate Historian. Although she had a slightly negative outlook on life, she still lived with passion. She wouldn't hesitant to correct someone's historical accuracy. Even if she came off as antisocial, she cared about her friends, even though she had an odd way of showing it.<br/>
She was killed by one of our classmates, even though she didn't do anything wrong. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>But the despair wasn't over.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>After we found Koharu's body. We discovered someone else.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yukio Samuru, The Ultimate Mad Scientist. He was a big mystery when it came to basically anything about him. He had a love for anything abnormal and was well...mad. He was a good chemist, even though he messed up often and risked putting him and others towards death.<br/>
Even if he didn't show anyone, his face was deformed, causing him to hide it behind a mask. He was incredibly self conscious of how he came off to others. Especially in social situations. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Their killers....</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Are somewhere in this room.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I will find out who the killer is. Not just for my sake but for Yuu's sake. And for the sake of justice.</em>
</p><p>"<strong>Alright, lets begin with an explanation of the class trial. You all will debate amongst yourselves, using evidence collected during the investigation phase, to determine the culprit. The trial ends when the culprit - known as the "Blackened" - is uncovered, and ultimately executed. Now! Begin!</strong>"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>For the love of good go read this on my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47. It’s soooooo much better.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. This Is The Truth</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Everyone in the trial room stared around at each other. Over the course of their capture, they've formed strong friendships with each other, despite their situation. Well, excluding a few.</p><p>No one was willing to pin the blame on anyone in fear that they were wrong, or worse: in fear that they were right. </p><p>"Alright. Let's think about this, guys. We only have to find one of the culprits. So let's just pick one of the victims and forget about the other one." Hideshi said.</p><p>Everyone stared at the boy with mixed emotions.</p><p>"Hideshi-san, I don't...think we should do that...." Atsu spoke up.</p><p>It was clear that both of the boys were still in pain from losing their closest friends. </p><p>"Why so? Monokuma clearly stated that we only needed to find one of the killers. I suggest we only debate about the first victim that we found." Kichino butted in.</p><p>"Hang on, aren't you the one who was pushing the investigation of the second victim? Why are you saying that it doesn't matter all of the sudden." Arata pointed out.</p><p>Kichino merely smirked and crossed his arms.</p><p>"Oh? I wonder about that." The Luckster said.</p><p>"We should just talk about Yuki-chan's death! No one cares about a side character like Koharu-san! Let's ju-"</p><p>Unfortunately, Hideshi was interrupted.</p><p>"Hey!! Don't talk about her like she wasn't important! She lived with a purpose! She had a family damnit!! She wanted nothing more than to get out of here!!" Atsu shouted. </p><p>"I don't care!! I don't care anymore!! Yuki-chan is dead! He's dead and I couldn't save him!! What kind of person would I be if I left my friend to die and then completely forgot about it." Hideshi cried back.</p><p>On the opposite side of the courtroom, Riku stiffened. Ren noticed this and reached out towards his friend and grabbed his hand to comfort him.</p><p>"Your fighting isn't going to lead us anywhere!" Sara hissed.</p><p>"But I want to know who killed Yuki-chan!!" Hideshi argued.</p><p>"I want to know who killed Koharu-chan!!!" Atsu shouted.</p><p>As the two argued back and forth, the rest of the students couldn't do much except watch the scene play out in front of them. </p><p>But that's when another voice broke through their arguments.</p><p>"Both of you! Stop thing pointless fighting!! Our lives are at stake! I know that both of you want to find out who killed your friends, but you shouldn't do it like this." Haru's puppet began talking frantically.</p><p>"Also, we don't know that there is two separate killers. It could quite plausibly be the same killer. This is why we need to start from the top. And that starts with Koharu-san's death." Kotori spoke in a surprisingly firm tone.</p><p>"As long as we keep the bear entertained with our arguments, we can continue this trial for as long as need be." Kichino stated, jerking his head in Monokuma's direction.</p><p>That was strange. It was almost like Kichino was trying to comfort them....maybe?</p><p>"Alright...I-I'm sorry. I don't know what got into me..." Atsu said, shrinking back on his podium.</p><p>"As long as we learn who killed Yuki-chan, then I don't give a damn anymore." Hideshi swore.</p><p>Assuming the argument had ended, for now at least, Arata decided to start them off.</p><p>"Okay. Since the time of death for both of the victims were very close, I think we should state our alibis for 11:30 am to 12:00 pm. For me, I was unconscious in the infirmary. I apparently passed out this morning in my room. I was out for a majority of the day. I only woke up around two something o'clock. So I couldn't have killed anyone." Arata said.</p><p>"Oh yeah? Prove it." Hideshi said, crossing his arms.</p><p>"He doesn't need to. Me and Riku-chan were with Arata-kun from 9:15 am to 12:00 pm. I think that solidifies the alibis of all three of us." Ren said.</p><p>Hideshi narrowed his eyes in suspicion. It was obvious that he was trying to see if Ren was lying.</p><p>"I was at the indoor garden with Sara-chan. We went there at 11:00 am, I think, and we left around 12:15." Kotori said.</p><p>"I can confirm this." Sara said.</p><p>"11:00 am...to 12:00 pm....I think...I was walking....-" Yuu yawned before continuing. "...around...but...I think....I feel alseep on...the stairs..." she finished.</p><p>"Me and Atsu-san found her asleep in the middle of the staircase near the girls dormitory. It was around 2:30 pm when we found her." Arata confirmed.</p><p>"How do we know that Pretty Little Liar is telling the truth?" Hideshi asked. </p><p>"Are you trying to accuse her?" Arata asked, his voice was laced with malice.</p><p>"And what if I am? For all I know, she could've killed Yuki-chan." Hideshi accused.</p><p>"Yo-"</p><p>"No one is accusing anyone yet. We're still trying to establish everyone's alibis. Till then, no one is accusing anyone." Kotori shouted.</p><p>Everyone turned towards the Ultimate Investigator. They were surprised by how...angry she sounded. Even Sara looked confused. A shadow had fallen over Kotori's eyes. </p><p>She brought a hand to place over her mouth. It was noticeable that her body was trembling slightly. After a moment, she lowered her hand and looked back up at the rest of the students.</p><p>"Atsu-kun. Where were you in the timespan of 11:00 am to 12:00 pm?" The investigator asked.</p><p>Atsu looked around at the other students, looking for any signal that he should ignore what happened and answer her question. He received a nod from Arata.</p><p>"I...um...I think I was...in my room." Atsu answered. He ran a hand through his hair.</p><p>"Haru-chan was also in her room." Haru's puppet spoke out.</p><p>"I was stuck in my own room for most of the day. Samuru-san was supposed to be my guide to breakfast but he never showed up." Kichino said, sounding a bit distant.</p><p>"Then how did you get to the library. You are the one the triggered the body discovery announcement, right?" Sara questioned.</p><p>"I became weary from being in my room. I felt along the wall." The luckster explained.</p><p>"How did he manage to trigger the body discovery announcement? Wasn't he blind?" The puppet asked.</p><p>"One of the rules states that the body discovery announcement will play when at least three people discover the body. The blackened is one of the those. Shinobu-san must have been the second one to discover it. Then the body discovery announcement sounded when Arata-kun and Atsu-kun showed up." Kotori said.</p><p>Arata widened his eyes as he heard the first inaccuracy in Kotori's conclusion.</p><p>"<strong>No, that's wrong!</strong>"</p><p>"Kotori-san, that's wrong. Me and Atsu-san weren't the ones that triggered the body discovery announcement. We were at the stairwell, since we found Yuu-chan passed out there. That's where we heard the announcement." Arata told her.</p><p>"Ah, I see."</p><p>Kotori placed a hand under her chin, like she was contemplating something. </p><p>"When I opened the library doors, the body discovery announcement played immediately after. As far as I was aware, I was alone. So it seems I was the person to trigger it." Kichino added.</p><p>"That means someone besides the blackened saw the body." Atsu concluded.</p><p>"We'll get back to that later! That doesn't have anything to do with why Yuki-chan died! Let's just hurry up and move on!" Hideshi interrupted.</p><p>"Hideshi-kun, where were you during the time of the murder?" The puppet asked out of the blue.</p><p>Hideshi seemed to be caught off guard by this question.</p><p>"I-I was trapped in that weird room for most of the day! I went to the library at 11:00 am or something! Are you trying to accuse me?!" Hideshi snarled.</p><p>However, Haru didn't seem bothered by it in the slightest.</p><p>"We don't know why you were even there in the first place. When the body was discovered, it was almost two hours after the actual murder took place. For all we know, you could've just hidden yourself in that room till the body was discovered." The puppet continued.</p><p>"And you do seem quite desperate to move past Akifumi-san's death. Could it be that you are trying to steer us away?" Kichino asked.</p><p>Hideshi took a step back from his podium. He aggressively shoved his hands in his pockets.</p><p>"H-Hey! Don't start pinning the blame on me!"</p><p>"Hang on. We shouldn't blame anyone yet, like Kotori-san said." Atsu interjected.</p><p>"Hm? Why so?"</p><p>"Because we haven't even determined how Koharu-chan died. We can't accuse anyone if we don't know how they did it. So can we just....think about it...?" The Swindler asked.</p><p>"That's actually really reasonable. Alright, let's try to find out what the cause of death was." Kotori said, smiling at the taller boy.</p><p>"First, we need to think about the crime scene."</p><p>"It's obvious that she died of blood loss! Did you see the blood leaking from her mouth?" The puppet cut off Kotori.</p><p>"There was blood on the bookshelf. Maybe the killer smashed her head against it." Sara suggested.</p><p>"That wouldn't explain a lot of things that appeared at the scene." Kotori spoke.</p><p>"Maybe she was killed by something that we just couldn't see." Hideshi mumbled.</p><p>Arata snapped his head up.</p><p>"<strong>The pieces fit together!</strong>"</p><p>
  <strong>*Break*</strong>
</p><p>"Actually, Hideshi-san might be onto something. Maybe it was something that we couldn't see." Arata said.</p><p>"Ah, I think I know what you're talking about. Are you referring to the syringe that you found?" Kotori asked.</p><p>"Syringe...?" Yuu tilted her head to the side.</p><p>"When we were investigating the crime scene, I found a syringe in the secret room." Arata explained.</p><p>"How does that have anything to do with how she died?</p><p>"That has a lot to do with how she died. Katsune-san, you know what I am referring to, correct?" The Luckster spoke.</p><p>"Of course. When me and Shinobu-san were investigating the second crime scene, he found an empty bottle of poison in the trash can. It seems like it came from the armory." Arata answered.</p><p>"You think she was poisoned?" Atsu asked.</p><p>"It seems like that was the case. There were no noticeable wounds on her body other than the dent in the back of her head. I doubt that Koharu-san simply let the blackened force feed her poison. They must have rendered her immobile by smashing her head against the bookshelf. Then, they injected her with the poison." Kotori summarized.</p><p>"S-So that's how sh-she died..." Riku trailed off.</p><p>"I was wondering something. Does anyone know the reason that she went there in the first place?" Ren inquired.</p><p>"I don't know...I hadn't talked to her in a couple days..." Atsu said, his voice laced with guilt.</p><p>"It's possible that she was in the wrong place at the wrong time but still...something seems odd." Arata thought aloud.</p><p>"Everyone, I would like you to take at look at this." </p><p>Everyone looked towards the Ultimate Investigator as she held something up.</p><p>"Is that....paper...?" Atsu asked.</p><p>"No...well, yes and no. It's a note. I found it on Koharu-san's corpse. It's a note addressed to her, asking her to meet someone at the library at 11:30 pm." Kotori explained.</p><p>"How are we supposed to know whether or not you forged it?" Kichino asked.</p><p>"I was there when she found it. I can vouch for her." Sara quickly spoke up.</p><p>"Great. It's Captain Cold Blood." Hideshi grumbled.</p><p>"Hideshi-kun! Be nice!" Haru's puppet shouted.</p><p>"Hideshi-san, you wrote this note, correct?" Kotori asked.</p><p>Hideshi's eyes widened. Even though he just removed them, he jammed his hands back into his pockets, angrily.</p><p>"Huh?! Y-You can't just make accusations like that!" Hideshi said.</p><p>"But, are these not your initials? 'NH'?" Kotori countered.</p><p>"Ah-wait! Wait up! I didn't write that! You don't have any proof either!" Hideshi shouted.</p><p>Arata narrowed his eyes at the boy.</p><p>'<em>He's shaking. Panicking won't help you.</em>'</p><p> "Judging by your reaction, you're lying." Kotori said, lowering the note.</p><p>"Pfft. As if you can actually tell. Nice try, Ace but playtime's over." Hideshi scoffed.</p><p>Kotori crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. Everyone looked confused when she started laughing.</p><p>"Oh- oh my god. You have no idea how stupid you sound right now!" Kotori giggled.</p><p>"Kotori-san. Stay focused." Sara reminded her.</p><p>"Right right. I'm good. Okay. Oh yeah, you're definitely lying Hideshi-san." Kotori continued.</p><p>"Oh yeah?"</p><p>"I've been observing you for the past few weeks. Every time you lie, your hands start to twitch slightly. I think you started to notice this as well because when you're about to lie, you put your hands in your pockets to prevent others from seeing them move." Kotori analyzed.</p><p>"Wh-...why you little bi-"</p><p>Before Hideshi could finish his sentence, his eyes widened and his pupils dilated tremendously. His arms fell limp at his sides.</p><p>"Hideshi-kun? Are you feeling alright?" Ren asked.</p><p>Suddenly, Hideshi yawned. He acted like he had just woken up from a long nap.</p><p>"Geez. For a bunch of Ultimates, you guys are pretty dumb, huh?" Hideshi grumbled.</p><p>"I beg your pardon?" Kichino said.</p><p>"Yeah. I killed Koharu-san." </p><p>Everyone stared at the mystery boy in disbelief. Arata watched Hideshi's hands, trying to see if he could determine whether or not he was lying. But they weren't moving at all.</p><p>"You can't read me like I'm some kinda book, Arata-san." Hideshi said, chuckling.</p><p>The sheer malice that laced Hideshi's words made Arata flinch.</p><p>"Hideshi-san...did you....did you really kill Koharu-chan?" Atsu asked, his voice straining.</p><p>Hideshi tapped his chin thoughtfully. </p><p>"Mhm. I did." He confirmed.</p><p>"Y-You're lying..." Riku said quietly.</p><p>"What was that, teachers pet?" Hideshi shot back.</p><p>Riku visibly stiffened. He clenched his teeth.</p><p>"Hideshi-kun...that was uncalled for." Ren said, quietly.</p><p>"I-It's fine. I'm us-used to it." Riku dismissed.</p><p>"Hideshi-san. How do we know you are telling the truth?" Arata asked.</p><p>"I suppose you don't really know, do you?" Hideshi said.</p><p>"He had to have done it!" Atsu said suddenly.</p><p>"Hang on. Atsu-san. Don't let your personal feelings surpass your final answer." Kotori warned.</p><p>"Don't listen to them, Atsu-san. I killed your friend! I poisoned her and watched her take her last breath. She didn't even get a chance to fight back." Hideshi said, smugly.</p><p>"<strong>I'll cut down your words!</strong>"</p><p> "Actually, Hideshi-san, you're wrong. Koharu-san did fight back. As I recall, you didn't check her crime scene so you didn't know that. She fought back against her attacker. In fact, she ended up scratching them, and drawing blood. You don't have any visible marks on you." Arata said.</p><p>"Hmm? Is that it?" Hideshi asked.</p><p>"A-"</p><p>"<strong>I can't be bargained with!</strong>"</p><p>"Damnit! Stop it, man! He's already admitted to it!" Atsu shouted.</p><p>"You know I can't do that." Arata deadpanned.</p><p>"Fine. Then I'll make you." Atsu said.</p><p>
  <strong>[Rebuttal Showdown Start]</strong>
</p><p>"He's already confessed to the murder! Let's just vote already!" Atsu shouted.</p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"It couldn't have been anyone else that wrote that letter!"</p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"He was even there at the crime scene when we arrived!" </p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"Listen. Just because he admitted it, doesn't mean that he's telling the truth. And just because he was in the vicinity of the crime scene, doesn't mean he's the killer." Arata said.</p><p>"That shit doesn't matter! I know he's the killer! He and Koharu-chan had bad blood between each other for awhile!" Atsu shouted.</p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"He took the syringe and filled it with poison. Then he fought her and killed her." </p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"That bastard watched her bleed out!"</p><p>'<em>That's it!</em>'</p><p>"<strong>Allow me to cut through that contradiction!</strong>"</p><p>
  <strong>*Break*</strong>
</p><p>"Atsu-san! Listen to me! Hideshi-san can't be the killer!" Arata argued.</p><p>"Why not?!" </p><p>"Have you already forgotten? Hideshi-san faints every time he sees blood. No matter how small it is. He couldn't have killed Koharu-san because he would've seen the blood on the bookcase from when her head was smashed against it." Arata said.</p><p>Atsu looked like he was ready to object again but he never got a chance.</p><p>"Wow, Arata-san. You are really dumb. Did it seriously take you that long to figure it out?" Hideshi asked.</p><p>"Hideshi-san, did you actually write this letter?" Kotori asked.</p><p>"Yup. I definitely did. I actually wanted to talk to her about something and I'm certain that she knew what it was. Why do you think she actually showed up?" Hideshi said, nonchalantly.</p><p>"Did you threaten her?!" Atsu asked.</p><p>"Huh? Threaten her? No." Hideshi said, confused by the accusation.</p><p>"Hideshi-san, if you asked Koharu-san to meet you at 11:30 am, then why did you say you showed up at 11:00?" Arata asked.</p><p>"Ah, so you caught that little slip-up. I always arrive to my meetings early so that I won't be the last person to get there." Hideshi explained.</p><p>"But, you arrived thirty minutes early. Is that not excessive?" Kichino asked.</p><p>"Is it? I wouldn't know." Hideshi said, looking distracted by something on the ceiling.</p><p>"Hideshi-kun, Do you know who trapped you in the secret room?" Ren asked.</p><p>"I don't know, man. It was dark as all hell in there." Hideshi replied.</p><p>"Were you planning something perhaps?" Kotori asked.</p><p>"What could I pooooosssibly be planning thirty minutes before meeting Koharu-san?" Hideshi asked, mockingly.</p><p>"I have come to the conclusion that you were originally planning to murder Akifumi-san. However, your plan was thwarted by whoever locked you in the secret room. I believe that we can narrow down the suspects to those who knew about the secret room so that they knew how it worked." Kichino spoke.</p><p>"Um...okay...so who are the people that knew about the secret room." Atsu asked.</p><p>"I knew about it. I found it awhile ago by accident. But we've already established that I couldn't have done it since I wasn't awake at the time." Arata said.</p><p>"I also was aware of the secret room. However, So was Samuru-san. But it does not truly help since he is one of the victims." Kichino said.</p><p>"How do we know that you aren't the one who trapped him in there?" The puppet said.</p><p>"Because I would not have known he was in there in the first place. If I managed to make my way to the library at that time, then I am certain that he would not have made any sound as not to alert me." Kichino explained.</p><p>"B-But, that doesn't ge-get us anywhere." Riku said.</p><p>"Alright. Let's recap. We found out that Koharu-san was killed with poison from a syringe. Hideshi-san was trapped in the secret room since 11:00 am. The only ones without a proper alibi from 11:30 am to 12:00 pm are Atsu-kun, Makayu-san, and yes, you too Shinobu-san." Kotori said.</p><p>"Tsk. Amateurs." Kichino mumbled.</p><p>"Wh-What about Yuu-san?" Riku asked.</p><p>Arata looked towards Riku with a look that could kill. Riku's knees knocked together with fear as he locked eyes with the survivor.</p><p>"Ah, I guess Yuu-san doesn't have a proper alibi either. I'm sorry Arata-kun, but for the sake of the trial, we have to include her." Kotori said, sending a look of sympathy towards him.</p><p>"...fine. But I'll be the one to clear her name of suspicion. Yuu-chan isn't even capable of climbing the stairs without falling asleep, so it's impossible for her to have commit murder." Arata said, firmly.</p><p>"..." </p><p>Yuu watched Arata fight for her. She felt relieved to have him on her side.</p><p>"Moving on, Atsu-kun, Makayu-san, and Shinobu-san. You three are the most suspicious so far." Kotori said.</p><p>The two of the three students seemed to look sullen from the accusation. Kichino, simply looked annoyed.</p><p>"S-Should we talk about Sam-Samuru-kun's death? The-There might be more e-evidence." Riku suggested.</p><p>"Maybe we should start talking about Samuru-san's death. We should determine his cause of death. It may correlate to the first murder since they were so close in time." Sara said.</p><p>"Everyone's alibi's should still apply." Ren said.</p><p>"Arata-kun and Shinobu-san. You are the two people that looked over Samuru-san's death site the longest. Tell us what you think happened." Kotori said.</p><p>"Very well. I shall bring up what I have said before. I discovered an empty bottle of poison in the trash can. However...when I went to the armory to see if there was any bottles missing, there turned out to be two bottles missing. I did not find the second." Kichino said.</p><p>"That's odd. I'm guessing the killer took both of them." Arata said, placing a hand under his chin.</p><p>"That is not the most likely circumstance. When I walked into the room that housed the poison, the shelf that was missing one of the bottles was in plain sight. Perhaps the person who took it simply grabbed the first one that they saw. The bottle that I found in the trash held a much more lethal poison than the other bottle. It seems like someone took their time in choosing it. Concluding, it is highly plausible that two different people took different bottles at different times." Kichino said, smirking.</p><p>"Good job, Ace. But where exactly does that get us?" Kotori asked.</p><p>"It means, that someone used the more lethal poison on Akifumi-san. Looking at Samuru-san's surroundings, it seems that the killer may have tried to use the same kind of poison on him but he fought back, thus leaving the syringe full of poison." Kichino said.</p><p>"I guess that makes sense. But now, let's determine what the weapon was." Hideshi rushed.</p><p>'<em>The weapon that brought Samuru-san's life to a slow end?</em>'</p><p>"There wasn't many things in the room that could be used as a weapon." Hideshi started.</p><p>"Oh, maybe the killer took one of the syringes and used it like a knife." The puppet suggested.</p><p>"That doesn't sound right. The Monokuma Files stated that his cause of death was due to exposure to lethal chemicals." Sara pointed out.</p><p>"A-And, the state of hi-his face...it doesn't se-seem like it w-was from stabbing." Riku said.</p><p>"There was scattered glass fragments near his face. Maybe it has something to do with the glass bottles." Kotori suggested.</p><p>"<strong>Yes! That's right!</strong>"</p><p>"Kotori-san is right. I think it did have something to do with the beakers. More specifically, what was inside the beakers." Arata said.</p><p>"Are you talk about Yuki-chan's super special acid? When I was bug- I'm mean, hanging out with Yuki-chan before the motive was given, he was making some kinda acid that he said he was gonna try to use to melt the big metal gate at the entrance of the school." Hideshi explained.</p><p>Was that...really true? So Yukio had been trying to figure out a way out of here...but the thing he thought would save him...turned out to be his demise...</p><p>"Such twisted irony, is it not? The very thing that Samuru-san was using to save himself, was the thing that ended up killing him. I could laugh." Kichino scoffed.</p><p>"Yeah, if only you had a heart.." Kotori mumbled to herself.</p><p>"What was that, you heathen?" Kichino shot at her.</p><p>"ANYWAYS, we should get back on track! Arata-kun, keep explaining." Kotori said, a bit loudly.</p><p>"Uh, sure. So we know that Samuru-san was making something acidic. Think back to the way his corpse looked. The entire side of his face was gone. What I think happened, was that the killer probably took one of his beakers and threw it at him. The impact could've easily knocked him out and that would give the acid enough time to start eating away at him." Arata said.</p><p>"<strong>Quit pulling my strings!!</strong>"</p><p>"Haru-chan?" Arata asked, confused by the sudden rebuttal.</p><p>"Haru-chan agrees with the acid being the murder weapon, but there definitely was no killer!" The puppet exclaimed.</p><p>"No killer...? What are you saying?" Arata replied.</p><p>"Because the killer must've been Yukio-kun himself! I'll prove it too!" The puppet said.</p><p>
  <strong>[Start]</strong>
</p><p>"The killer was Yukio-kun!" The puppet said.</p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"He was feeling too much despair!"</p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"Maybe he was the second person that saw Koharu-san's body!" </p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"And he decided to end himself from the despair!"</p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"I doubt that he fell into despair and decided to kill himself from seeing Koharu-san's body. They didn't seem to know each other very well and I doubt anyone would want to kill themselves by practically disintegrating their face." Arata argued.</p><p>"You be surprised what despair can do to a single person in a short amount of time!" The puppet countered.</p><p>*Miss*</p><p>"Yukio-kun must've been the one to do it!" </p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"He took the beaker and smashed it against his face!" </p><p>"<strong>I'll cut through your words!</strong>"</p><p>
  <strong>*Break*</strong>
</p><p>"Haru-chan! Think about how we found his body. There were no other injuries besides the one on his face. If he truly did kill himself, then acid would gotten on his hands. You said he picked up the beaker and smashed it against himself. But if that were true, then the hand he used to pick up the beaker would be either bloody or completely gone." Arata said.</p><p>"Ah! Haru-chan! You were wrong! Ugh...how embarrassing..." the puppet mumbled, looking flustered.</p><p>Arata shivered. Still too realistic.</p><p>"But that still doesn't get us anywhere! It was just a big distraction from what's important!!" Hideshi countered.</p><p>"Y-You're one to ta-talk..." Riku mumbled</p><p>Everyone turned towards the Ultimate Assistant. He blushed.</p><p>"Ah-Ah...sorry..." The boy squeaked.</p><p>"But Hideshi-san is right. It doesn't get us anywhere." Kotori said.</p><p>"Riku-chan, didn't you say you noticed something before?" Ren asked.</p><p>The assistant seemed surprised to be in the spotlight again but he still answered, knowing that Ren was just trying to help them all.</p><p>"Um...I-if I'm correct ab-about this...but we saw that on-only the left side of Sa-Samuru-kun's face was bur-burned. Taking this i-into consideration, and as-as-assuming that he was fa-facing towards the k-killer when they t-threw the beaker, this-this means that he w-was close enough to-to the killer that he c-could react and t-turn his head away fr-from the pro-projectile, but he-he wasn't far e-enough away to dodge it-it in time." Riku sputtered out nervously.</p><p>"What does that mean?" Sara asked.</p><p>"I think it means that our killer was experiencing a fight or flight scenario at the time. Perhaps they felt cornered by something and their fight instinct took over, leading them to throw the beaker, most likely unaware of its contents." Ren explained.</p><p>"Huh? But why would they be threatened by Yuki-chan? He can't even pick up a chair!" Hideshi asked.</p><p>"Maybe Samuru-san was threatening them." Sara suggested.</p><p>A moment of silence engulfed the students once more.</p><p>"I agree. Samuru-san must've been the one to use the syringe. That would explain why it was still full when we found it. Because he never got a chance to use it before his life was brought to an end." Kichino smirked.</p><p>"What?! Yuki-chan wouldn't do that!" Hideshi argued.</p><p>"I'm sorry but...I just can't see Samuru-san as a killer. He was strange, but...aren't we all...?" Atsu said, quietly.</p><p>"I'm sure Riku-chan agrees with me when I say that I think Samuru-kun is the killer." Ren said.</p><p>Riku nodded in affirmation.</p><p>"Haru-chan doesn't think that Yukio-kun is a killer!" The puppet spoke up.</p><p>"I don't think....he did....either...." Yuu mumbled.</p><p>'<em>Has she even been paying attention?</em>'</p><p>"There is much information that points to Samuru-san as the killer." Kotori said.</p><p>"It appears that we have come to a standstill." Kichino mused.</p><p>"<strong>The culprit is one of you!!</strong>"</p><p>Everyone looked towards the mechanical bear. </p><p>"<strong>A standstill you say? Then Soaring Heights is proud to present its very own morphanominal trial grounds!!</strong>"</p><p>Everyone braced themselves as their podiums began rising into the air in a spiral pattern. They ended out in a room where each student was on the side that they were fighting for.</p><p>
  <strong>(Scrum Debate Start)</strong>
</p><p>"Yuki-chan can't be the killer! Someone probably snuck up on him!" Hideshi said.</p><p>"Kotori-san!"</p><p>"Impossible. The evidence says that he was attacked from the front. So he would've defiantly seen them." Kotori said.</p><p>*Fire!*</p><p>"But that doesn't mean he's a killer! He could've been trying to defend himself with the syringe!" The puppet said.</p><p>"Shinobu-san!"</p><p>"Think about the situation. Does that truly make sense. If he was trying to defend himself, when would he have the time to fill the syringe?" Kichino smirked.</p><p>*Fire!*</p><p>"But nobody was nearby his room when he was attacked, right?" Atsu asked.</p><p>"Ren-san!" </p><p>"We don't actually know that. There is still a few people with no proper alibis at the time. One of them could've been near." Ren said.</p><p>*Fire!*</p><p>"It doesn't make sense! Yuki-chan wouldn't kill anyone! He barely every let's anyone in the chemistry room!" Hideshi exclaimed.</p><p>'<em>I'll do it!</em>'</p><p>"It could be that Samuru-san was the one that let them in the room. He could've been trying to kill them by gaining their trust. But they probably panicked." Arata said.</p><p>All at once, everyone that was on Arata's side shouted at once.</p><p>"<strong>This is our answer!</strong>"</p><p>The podiums lowered back down and the students were in their original spaces.</p><p>"Do you all believe me now?" Arata asked.</p><p>"I...I think I do...." Atsu said, being the only one to respond.</p><p>"I don't mean to interrupt, but I think figured something out. Samuru-san could possibly help us find out Akifumi-san's killer." Sara spoke up, crossing her arms.</p><p>"Indeed. Arata-kun, you know what she's talking about, right?" Kotori asked.</p><p>'<em>How Samuru-san correlates to Koharu-san's death?</em>'</p><p>"<strong>Here it is!</strong>"</p><p>"When we found Samuru-san's body. I noticed that he had some scratch marks on the remaining part of his face. In the Monokuma Files for Koharu-san's death, it said that there was blood under her nails that wasn't her own. We already know that she fought back, and she ended up scratching the attacker." Arata said.</p><p>"And that attacker was Samuru-san." Kichino finished.</p><p>Hideshi looked like he was going to protest but he suddenly froze. He didn't even move a muscle. Then, he seemed to back down for the first time in this trial.</p><p>"S-So does that mean th-that Samuru-kun is the one-one who t-trapped Nakashima-kun in the sec-secret room?" Riku asked.</p><p>"That seems to be the case. Perhaps Samuru-san learned about Nakashima-san's meeting with Akifumi-san. Knowing that Nakashima-san was going to arrive early." Kichino pondered.</p><p>"Hideshi-kun, can you tell us what happened exactly when you arrived at the library?" Ren asked.</p><p>"I just...showed up...and one of the bookcases was opened. I went to check it out and the next thing I knew, the bookcase closed me in the room." Hideshi explained, wearily.</p><p>"From the sound of it, Samuru-san ended up setting a trap for Hideshi-san." Kotori said.</p><p>"Wait! If Hideshi-kun was trapped in there the whole time, then how did the syringe get in there?!" The puppet asked.</p><p>"Do you think it's possible that Samuru-san threw it in the secret room before closing Nakashima-san in?" Sara asked.</p><p>"Maybe. But it could've been that Samuru-san had placed it there in advance." Kotori said.</p><p>"...does that mean...Samuru-san...he really killed Koharu-chan?" Atsu asked, weakly.</p><p>The Swindler was trembling slightly, trying to hold back his emotions for the sake of the trial.</p><p>"I think it does. It would make sense too. Koharu-san didn't have access to her own voice and she wouldn't have been able to scream for help, and the same thing applies to Hideshi-san." Arata said, thinking hard.</p><p>"B-But...Samuru-kun is de-dead. So we can't ev-even vote for him." Riku pointed out.</p><p>"I guess that means we just need to find out who killed Samuru-san then." Sara said.</p><p>'If I think about this logically, and try to piece things together then I can probably figure it out. Now wh-'</p><p>Arata's eyes went wide as he came to a realization. He clenched his teeth.</p><p>——————————————————————</p><p>"Arata-san? What's wrong?" Atsu called out.</p><p>The gray haired boy had suddenly gone silent. Everyone looked at him, expectantly.</p><p>"Arata-kun?" Kotori called out.</p><p>Arata still didn't respond, causing the rest of the students to become confused. Why wasn't he saying anything? He had been leading the trial this whole time but now he's not talking.</p><p>"Arata...." Yuu called out. </p><p>Arata stiffened at the sound of her voice but still, he said nothing.</p><p>"Alright, let us recap once more. Nakashima-san planned to meet Akifumi-san at 11:30 am. He arrived at 11:00 am instead and was trapped in the secret room by Samuru-san. Then, when Akifumi-san arrived, he attacked her and she fought back. However, he overpowered her and smashed her head against the bookcase, most likely making her immobile. Then he injected her with the poison. Since he left one syringe in the room with Nakashima-san, I think he brought a second one. Then, where are we from there? We still have to figure out who the second person was that discovered the body." Kichino summarized.</p><p>"I think it's possible that the one who murdered Yukio-kun is the second one to see Koharu-san's body." The puppet piped up.</p><p>"H-how though?" Riku asked.</p><p>"Yukio-san wouldn't want his plan to be ruined. Maybe someone walked in when he was finishing the job and he kidnapped them and took them to the chemistry lab in order to silence them." The puppet explained.</p><p>"But who would that person be?" Ren asked.</p><p>"It has to be one of the few students without an alibi." Sara said.</p><p>"That's me, Makayu-san, Yuu-san, and Shinobu-san." Atsu confirmed.</p><p>"Arata-kun, we could really use your help." Kotori pleaded.</p><p>Arata still remained quiet. Why wasn't he saying anything? Did something happen?</p><p>"Forget about him. He wasn't even conscious when the murder took place." Hideshi said.</p><p>"As much as I hate to agree with...him....we must move forwards." Kichino said.</p><p>"Alright, Haru-san. Explain what you were doing from 11:30 am to 12:00 pm." Sara demanded.</p><p>"Oh, Haru-chan was in her room during that entire time! She didn't even leave once!" The puppet explained.</p><p>"Atsu-kun, What were you doing at this time." Kotori asked.</p><p>"I was in my room the whole time as well. I left around 11:55 am in order to go see if I can take a shift watching Arata-san." The Swindler explained.</p><p>"Shinobu-san, now you." Sara said.</p><p>"I was in my room for the entire day until around 2:15. Also, I can not be a suspect. If I was the person that triggered the body discovery announcement, then that means I was not there before." The prince-like boy responded.</p><p>"Yuu-san, explain what you were doing as well." Kotori said.</p><p>Yuu blinked a few times before she tilted her head to the side.</p><p>"I was....exploring...somewhere...on...one of the floors....I think..." Yuu said before yawning.</p><p>"Exploring, Huh?" Hideshi questioned.</p><p>Atsu stared at the small girl. Thinking back to when he found her with Arata.</p><p>"Hey, Yuu-san. Why did me and Arata-san find you alseep on the second floor staircase? Before the body discovery announcement?" Atsu questioned.</p><p>"I think I was....going...up them..." Yuu mumbled.</p><p>"But when we found you, you were facing away from the higher steps. It seems like you were going down the stairs before you fell asleep." Atsu said.</p><p>"Do you have something to tell us, Yuu-san?" Hideshi asked menacingly.</p><p>"Huh...? But i..." Yuu trailed off.</p><p>"You said that you were exploring. Could you have been exploring the first floor. Maybe you walked in on something that you weren't supposed to see." Atsu said, his voice growing more and more intense.</p><p>"A-Atsu-...kun...." Yuu choked out.</p><p>Atsu felt like his heart strings were going to snap right then and there as he saw the look on the Ultimate Human Test Subject's face. The girl was crying.</p><p>'<em>Arata-san...is this why you became silent? You didn't want to be the one to expose her. But...I can't die now. I'll live on for Koharu-chan's sake...</em>' He thought.</p><p>"Wait, Atsu-kun! Yuu-san couldn't have done that! She can't even do much on her own!" The puppet argued.</p><p>"Atsu-kun, Yuu-san is one of the students that was deaf. She wouldn't have heard the commotion happening in the library anyways." Ren said.</p><p>"You're right. She wouldn't have. But it seems that this was a twist of luck. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time. She was exploring around and accidentally walked in on the murder scene." Atsu explained.</p><p>Every argument that came at him was weaker and weaker than the last. He could hear the hope in everyone's voices slowly dwindle.</p><p>Then...</p><p>"I won't...lose her..."</p><p>Everyone turned towards the Ultimate Survivor. A shadow fell over his eyes and he clenched his fists.</p><p>"Arata-sa-"</p><p>"<strong>I will survive!!</strong>"</p><p>"Whoa! Chill out man!" Atsu said, waving his hands frantically.</p><p>"No. I can't do that. I made a promise...I MADE A PROMISE!!!" Arata shouted, slamming his hands down on his podium.</p><p>
  <strong>[Start]</strong>
</p><p>"I won't let you accuse her! I promised that I would get out of here with her!!" Arata shouted.</p><p>*Miss*</p><p>"She's too weak to even be able to attack someone, let alone kill someone!" </p><p>*Miss*</p><p>'<em>Shit shit shit shit!</em>'</p><p>"You won't be able to overpower me with your weak reasoning!"</p><p>*Miss*</p><p>'<em>Shit. I can't find a hole in his words! This is really bad. I have to focus.</em>' </p><p>"Calm down, man. I know it hurts but you have to accept it." Atsu reasoned.</p><p>"No! I won't accept this! Yuu-chan wouldn't murder someone!"</p><p>*Miss*</p><p>"You're all falling into despair! That bear is making you accuse her!"</p><p>*Miss*</p><p>"I won't lose! This is my hope!!" </p><p>"<strong>It's a life for a life!</strong>”</p><p>
  <strong>*Break*</strong>
</p><p>"Arata-san....I'm sorry. But this is how it's gotta be. If I could change what happened, then I would. But I can't do that, so I have to keep moving forwards." Atsu said, quietly.</p><p>"I can't...why can't I...remember...?" Yuu choked out.</p><p>Arata's eyes were wide and bloodshot. He looked like a wild animal that had been cornered.</p><p>"Atsu-kun. Finish this." Kotori said, her voice full of sorrow.</p><p>"G-got it..." he said.</p><p>'<em>I guess I gotta put the pieces together now.</em>'</p><p>"<strong>This is the truth!</strong>"</p><p>"It all began around 11:00 am. Hideshi-san had sent a note to Koharu-chan, asking her to meet him in the library at 11:30 am. Hideshi-san arrived thirty minutes early for whatever reason. He didn't know that the first killer had set a trap, planning to frame Hideshi-san I'm guessing. When Hideshi-san saw that the bookshelf was open, he went to inspect it. This allowed the first killer to trap him inside the room, knowing that it would be too dark for him to find his way out. With Hideshi-san out of the way, the first killer waited for Koharu-chan to get there. When she arrived, she was attacked by the first killer but she fought back. She ended up scratching her attacker and in return, they smashed her head against the bookshelf. This wasn't enough to kill her but it was enough to knock her out. From there, the first killer injected the poison into her veins that he had prepared beforehand. However, fate ended up being merciless as someone walked in on the crime scene. This was the second killer. When the first killer, Yukio Samuru, The Ultimate Mad Scientist, saw that they'd been caught, I'm guessing they grabbed the second killer and brought them up to the chemistry lab. The second killer was very small and easily could be overpowered. When they got to the chemistry lab, Samuru-san had another syringe of poison, perhaps he had it prepared in case this happened. He approached the second killer, fully intending to kill them. That's when the second killer panicked and grabbed whatever was nearby and flung it at Samuru-san. This was his own acid. From the looks of it, he didn't expect the second killer to retaliate, so he didn't have time to move.<br/>
Realizing that they just killed someone, the second killer ran out of the room in a blind panicked. They went to the staircase that led to the girls dormitories. Perhaps they slipped in their hurry and ended up hitting their head and that's why they forgot what happened. Nonetheless, they were rendered unconscious on that staircase for two or so hours after that.<br/>
And...that killer is here today. They acted out of self defense. I'm sorry...but it's you...Yuu, The Ultimate Human Test Subject."</p><p>
  <strong>*Break*</strong>
</p><p>"I think...that's everything..." Atsu said, trailing off.</p><p>Although he helped solve the case, he felt like he was the one that killed everyone. Especially when he saw the state that Arata was in. The Survivor looked disheveled and broken. Tears streaked his face and he made no sound.</p><p>The rest of the students stayed quiet.</p><p>"Oi, Monokuma. We're ready to vote now." Hideshi said, paying no mind to the death glares that he received.</p><p>"<strong>Alrighty then! Upupupu~ Who will be chosen as the blacken? Will it be the right choice, or the dreadfully wrong one?</strong>"</p><p>One by one, the students cast their votes. The results appeared on the monitor on a slot machine.</p><p>"<strong>How 'bear'y unexpected! But you all got it right! The killer is Yuu, The Ultimate Human Test Subject who killed Yukio Samuru, The Ultimate Mad Scientist, who killed Koharu Akifumi, The Ultimate Historian...wow that was a mouthful..</strong>"</p><p>
  <strong>[Case Closed]</strong>
</p><p>——————————————————————</p><p>"Why...Yuu-chan...why did you kill him...Why did you do this to yourself?!?" Arata asked frantically, approaching the small girl.</p><p>Yuu looked at Arata through tearful eyes. She didn't know how to answer him. She couldn't bring herself to say anything other than</p><p>"I'm sorry....Arata....I don't...remember...." It became harder and harder for her to speak.</p><p>The gravity of the situation came crashing down on her like a house with no foundation.</p><p>"Yuu-chan....you....you're the only thing I have left....I lost everything....I LOST EVERYONE I LOVED FOR THIS STUPID TALENT THAT I NEVER WANTED!!" Arata wailed. </p><p>The survivor trapped Yuu in a hug. She was hugging him back of course. But she felt so terrible. Why couldn't she remember anything? Why was this happening?! Why did Arata have to cry over her? But all she could say was</p><p>"I'm sorry....I'm...I'm sorry....wh-why...why did I..." </p><p>"You're the closest thing to the family that I never had. I wanted to escape with you...we could've lived the life that we never had...Yuu-chan...I wish I could've saved you..." Arata said, barely above a whisper. </p><p>That's when she started crying. Not like normal, but crying with such pain that it hurt. It hurt worse than anything she's ever experienced in the past. </p><p>-</p><p>The rest of the students weren't reacting to good to the situation.</p><p>Watching the stoic gray haired boy that they've come to know just simply break down in tears, it had a lasting effect. They knew nothing about his past, but his talent said it all. </p><p>He was a survivor. A lone survivor. </p><p>And for a survivor to live to protect someone with their life, it was heartbreaking. </p><p>It was truly a scene of great despair...</p><p>Riku has turned away and was gripping Ren's arm tightly. He was crying softly, and surprisingly, so was Ren. The botanist's smile was long gone. How could he smile in the face of such despair?</p><p>Kichino had his eyes closed and he arms crossed the emotions on his face were unreadable.</p><p>Atsu was feverishly trying to wipe his tears away with his sleeve. But every time he wiped them away, they would be immediately replaced with fresh tears.</p><p>Haru had lowered her puppet. A shadow was covering her eyes, but if you looked close enough, you could see the thin stream of tears that ran down her cheeks.</p><p>Sara had her back turned to the group.</p><p>Kotori looked to be trembling slightly as tears fell from her eyes. Her teeth were clenched as she watched the heartbreaking scene.</p><p>Hideshi was staring at the two they were embracing each other. His eyes were filled with anger and grief. Anger that his friend had been murdered. </p><p>And grief that he'd have to watch another one go.</p><p>-</p><p>"<strong>Alriiiight. That's enough of that! It's now time for the long awaited Punishment Time!!!</strong>" Monokuma said.</p><p>Everyone seemed to freeze as they heard the two dreaded words that were all too familiar to them.</p><p>"A-Arata..." Yuu spoke through tears.</p><p>Arata pulled away to look at the small girl.</p><p>"I-I...I don't wanna die...!" Yuu said, practically choking on her tears.</p><p>"Monokuma! Execute me instead! I'll take her place!" Arata shouted, standing up and facing the mechinal bear. </p><p>He angrily approached the bears throne.</p><p>"<strong>Sorry kid, that's not how this works. She did the crime so she'll have to pay the price. There's no way around it.</strong>" Monokuma said, looking quite bored.</p><p>"But....I've lived so long....I wanted...to be free...for once..." Yuu cried out.</p><p>"<strong>I don't have time for your tear jerking moments. If you want that then go look up TV Tropes or something.</strong>"</p><p>Suddenly, his red eye seemed to light up.</p><p>"<strong>Now then, I've prepared a very special special punishment for Yuu, The Ultimate Human Test Subject.</strong>" Monokuma began.</p><p>Yuu widened her eyes and stumbled back, away from the podium.</p><p>"N-No...! Please help me...!! I don't wanna die yet!! Please!! Arata!!" Yuu cried out the survivors name.</p><p>Arata outstretched his hand and ran towards the girl and Yuu did the same.</p><p>"<strong>Let's give it everything we've got! It's....PUNISHMENT TIME!!</strong>"</p><p>The two almost reached each other.</p><p>"A-Arata!!!"</p><p>"Yuu-chan!!" </p><p>
  <strong>(Yuu has been found guilty. Time for the punishment!)</strong>
</p><p>////_\\\\\_\\\\\\\_\\\\\\\\_\\\\\\_\\\\</p><p>
  <em>The blackened is strapped down to a metal table under a spotlight.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Monokuma dressed in lab coats are surrounding the table.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>They're laughing. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>All of them.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>A title flashes on the screen.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>'<strong>An Eye for a Lie</strong>'</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Yuu pulls against the restraints that are keeping her attached to the metal table.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>The scientist Monokuma's pull out syringes from their pockets. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>It's filled with a bubbling purple liquid.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Yuu's eyes widen and tears fall from her eyes as she screams and pleads for help.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>One of the Monokuma's laugh and raise the syringe into the air. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>It jabs it into Yuu's arm and injects the purple liquid.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Yuu screams in agony as the rest of the Monokuma do the same thing with their own syringes on different parts of her body.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>It takes a moment for it to work but the pain hits Yuu like a truck. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>She screams and screams and cries and cries.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Blood begins to build up in her throat and in her eyes. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>A trickle of blood comes from her nose and ears.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>She cries as she spits out some of her blood but more keeps building up.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>One of the Monokuma's raise their empty syringe. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>The rest of the Monokuma's follow.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>They all begin to stab Yuu's body violently with the needle end of the syringe. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Yuu cries again and again. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>The Monokuma's keep stabbing her.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>The light in her eyes begins to grow dim.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>She cranes her head towards the one camera in the room. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Yuu raises her head and mouths something at the camera.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Then, when the Monokuma's each give one final stab, the life fades from her eyes.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Yuu's head falls back against the metal table and the rest of her body goes limp.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>She was barely recognizable due to the amount of blood staining her body.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>The screen then turns to static and displays the words</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>'<strong>Thanks for tuning in!</strong>'</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Class trials look so dull on this website. Want to read a better version? Go to my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47 and find this story.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Will The Pain Ever Go Away, My Friend?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>No words could explain the despair that swept through the trial room as Yuu's execution faded out.</p><p>Arata stared up at the static screen. His eyes swirled with such despair as he fell to his knees.</p><p>(His hair was messy and fell in his face. Tears streamed from his eyes. His eyes...his despair filled eyes...) </p><p>'<em>My name....she said my name....</em>'</p><p>"Yuu-chan....she said my name....as she was dying....I couldn't....why couldn't I....reach her...?" Arata asked, looking down at his hands.</p><p>He ended up voting for himself in a last attempt to save Yuu's life. She didn't mean to kill Yukio. She was just threatened. She didn't deserve that. She didn't...</p><p>"Arata-kun...I'm so sorry..." </p><p>He looked to his side, discovering that Kotori was standing there. Her cheeks were wet with tears as she stared down at the survivor.</p><p>"Why....why...." </p><p>"Katsune-san. Why did you vote for yourself? Your self sacrifice was honorable but were you not thinking of the consequences? You could have gotten us killed." Kichino said.</p><p>"Shinobu-san." Sara said.</p><p>"What?" He responded.</p><p>"Shut up." The markswoman said.</p><p>Kichino opened his mouth to protest but he closed it once again. He crossed his arms and looked to the side.</p><p>"Arata-chan?" The puppet asked hesitantly.</p><p>Arata looked towards the Ultimate Ventriloquist. He could see her red eyes staring right back at him. He knew what emotion that was. It was sadness.</p><p>"Arata-kun...." Kotori said.</p><p>She kneeled down beside the boy and took his hand in her own and laid her other hand on top of his. He felt something touch his palm.</p><p>Arata waited for her to pull away before checking what was put in his hand. As he saw the object, he felt like he had been hit by a train.</p><p>It was a button.</p><p>A turquoise button.</p><p>The same button that Yuu had taken a liking to a few days ago. Looking over at Kotori, it seemed like she was ready for his confusion.</p><p>"I-I...I found it....at the crime scene. But I forgot about it. It didn't seem like Samuru-san nor Koharu-san would carry something like that." Kotori said.</p><p>"It was....Yuu-chan's..." Arata mumbled, looking down at the small object. Through his half-lidded eyes, there was layers of despair upon despair upon despair.</p><p>The students looked between each other, not knowing what to do. Arata was usually the one to lead them, and he...</p><p>"<strong>How long are you guys just gonna wallow in despair? You better get to the elevator before I become impatient. You guys aren't done with this despair yet. Now move your asses!!</strong>" Monokuma shouted.</p><p>This caused everyone to start heading to the elevator. However, a few of them stayed back. </p><p>It was Sara, Kotori, Kichino, and Haru.</p><p>"Arata-chan. I know it hurts. Haru-chan knows what it's like to lose someone that's special to you. So please, at least get up...." The puppet spoke, softly.</p><p>"Kenshin-san. Pick up Katsune-san and carry him to the elevator. We can not afford to waste anymore time here." Kichino ordered.</p><p>The demand seemed to process a little bit late in Atsu's mind. He was so caught up in thinking about everything that...he just couldn't focus anymore.</p><p>"Ah...y-yeah sure...I'll just..." Atsu knelt down beside Arata and grunted as he lifted the boy over his shoulder.</p><p>They remaining students entered the elevator and watched as the metal doors slammed shut. The elevator jerked before slowly ascending out of the hell of the trial grounds.</p><p>"Wh-Why is this happ-happening to us? We're...w-we're just ki-kids...!" Riku choked out, clutching the fabric of his white vest.</p><p>"Did we...do something bad? There has to be some reason that we are being tormented like this..." Haru's puppet said, sadly.</p><p>For the rest of the ride up, no one spoke a single word. The only sound was the clanking of metal against metal. Everyone braced themselves as the elevator hit the top. The doors opened very loudly and they stepped off.</p><p>When they did, the elevator doors closed behind them.</p><p>"Everyone, its currently 8:13 pm. Let's head over to the cafeteria. All of us. And then after we eat, I'd like to as a favor of everyone." Ren said, smiling sadly.</p><p>Slowly and uncertainly, everyone nodded in agreement, save Kichino and Arata.</p><p>"Arata-san, can you stand on your own? I can't carry you for much longer." Atsu said.</p><p>Arata didn't make a single sound as Atsu set him on his feet. The smaller boy just remained staring down at the small object in his hand.</p><p>"Katsune-san. She's dead. Yuu-san is dead. If you don't stop wallowing about it, then you might end up being the next one to join her." Kichino said, ever so comfortingly.</p><p>"Oh. My. Christ. Can you please stop being an asshole for one god damn minute." Kotori said, looking absolutely exasperated.</p><p>"W-What did you just call me?!" Kichino asked.</p><p>"I called you an asshole, Lucky. Leave Arata-kun be. I won't let you just talk to him like that. He needs time." Kotori said, standing protectively in front of Arata.</p><p>"Time? That is the one thing we do not have enough of. If it is time that you want, then perhaps you should stop dwelling in the past. Those who are dead, will never be alive again. That is the way it is." Kichino scoffed.</p><p>"No, that's wrong." Atsu butted in.</p><p>"Excuse you?" Kichino asked.</p><p>"Shinobu-san, I don't know what you went through, but we aren't like you. We aren't used to this. Still even. But...please think about it from our perspective. When you're trapped with people that keep killing each other, it's hard to trust anyone, but...when you finally find someone that you can trust, then they get killed in front of you...it's...it's hard...you can't just move on...like nothing ever happened..." Atsu said.</p><p>With every word he said, his voice became more and more strained.</p><p>'<em>Koharu-chan...I'm so sorry...I...I couldn't keep our promise....that I would protect you....</em>' The Swindler thought to himself.</p><p>"You speak from experience, but so do I. Life will not continue if you are stuck in the past. In a situation like this, I am surprised that you managed to make friends in the first place. This is a time of war. It is to test who will come out victorious. I, will be the first to say that I will win this. So stop acting like a child." Kichino said, crossing his arms.</p><p>Everyone remained silent for a moment. They were all at a loss for words.</p><p>"...why?" </p><p>All eyes locked on the Ultimate Markswoman. She was never one to speak up, so why now?</p><p>"What was that?" Kichino scoffed.</p><p>Sara pushed past a couple of students until she stood in front of Kichino.</p><p>"Why do we have to stop acting like children? You should know that we are all still kids. In fact, everything that you just said makes you no less of a child yourself." The shorter girl said.</p><p>Kichino scrunched his nose up.</p><p>"Are you comparing me to this sorry lot?" He asked, clearly offended.</p><p>"Yes. I guess I am. You're part of this 'sorry lot' after all. We're all trapped here. We're all in the same situation. So stop acting like you are any different from us." Sara said, bluntly.</p><p>Kichino turned his head away from the group.</p><p>"I do not have to even be talking to you. I will be going." He said, leaving the gymnasium.</p><p>Once the Luckster left the room, everyone seemed to be allowed a tiny bit of relief.</p><p>"I'm gonna go too. I don't have anything left to do here anymore." Hideshi mumbled, walking out of the gymnasium as well.</p><p>"Well, so much for eating together. Come on guys. The rest of us can still go to the cafeteria together." Kotori said, clapping her hand together.</p><p>"Y-Yeah...I guess...le-lets just...go the-then..." Riku said, barely audible.</p><p>The group watched in surprise as the Ultimate Assistant took the lead, without waiting for a response from anyone. Without another word, he was out the door. Ren watched as the doors closed behind his friend. He sighed.</p><p>"Sometimes, it takes people longer to get used to this horrible way of living than others. But we shouldn't give up hope now. Atsu-kun." Ren approached the taller boy and took his hand.</p><p>"Think about Akifumi-san. She would definitely want you to keep on living. So carry her hope with you." The botanist said, smiling.</p><p>This seemed to lift Atsu's spirits.</p><p>"Yeah...Alright! I'll keep living for her sake!" Atsu said, his voice was faultless and determined.</p><p>Ren turned towards Arata. He gently grabbed the Survivors hands in his own. In return, Arata slowly looked up at the boy through foggy eyes.</p><p>"Arata-kun...don't lose hope now. For even if today is terrible, there is always tomorrow to look forward to. I'm sure Yuu-san wouldn't want you to lose hope because of her. So please live life, not just for her sake, but for the sake of everyone who lost their lives here. Takara-san, Aurora-kun, Zenaku-san, Kazuno-san, Akifumi-san, and even Samuru-kun. Even if they are dead, they still leave their hope with you. They are always beside you. You aren't alone in this. All of us are here for you, so don't lose hope now." Ren said, giving Arata's hands one final squeeze before letting go.</p><p>This prompted Arata to let out a weak and halfhearted chuckle.</p><p>"...you never cease to confuse me..." The Survivor mumbled.</p><p>Ren's smile grew wider as he laughed as well.</p><p>"Let's go to the cafeteria. It's been a hard day. Getting something in our stomachs should help us focus." Ren said.</p><p>-</p><p>The students that remained made their way to the cafeteria. After they ate together, they decided to part ways.</p><p>Riku did not show up.</p><p>Neither did Kichino.</p><p>-</p><p>"<strong>Mm, ahem, this is a school announcement. It is now 10 p.m. As such, it is officially nighttime. Soon the doors to the cafeteria will be locked. Okay then...sweet dreams, everyone! Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite...</strong>"</p><p>Arata looked up at the monitor in his room as the nighttime announcement played. He looked back down at the turquoise button that he had been staring at since he arrived at his room. </p><p>He was completely unaware of the tears that had begun to fall again. It wasn't until his eyes began to sting that he finally wiped them. </p><p>He laid down on his bed, staring at the wall with a blank look. If one were to describe the look in his eyes, it would be empty.</p><p>There was nothing there. He was starting to realize that now. </p><p>There was never anything there.</p><p>——————————————————————</p><p>
  <em>Arata's small frame was trembling as he held a hand over his right eye. The tips of his gray hair were beginning to turn pure white. He remembered that one of his captors said when that happened, it meant that he was experiencing true fear. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Which was exactly correct for the current situation that he was in. He had just been released from the room with the lady that had stabbed something into his eye. Now, he was in an all white padded room with someone else curled up in the corner.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But that still wasn't the scary part. The scary part was hanging from the walls, covered in blood.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Other children. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>They were dead, of course. Some of them had their necks twisted at awkward angles. Others were simply missing the top half of their bodies.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Their stomachs and limbs were torn open. Some of their organs were missing, while their intestines hung around the room like decorations.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata froze when he heard something in his head.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Arata? Can you hear me? If you can't, then you're dead. This is a test of the device that we had put into your head. Now you may be blind in your right eye for a few days, but we assure you that it will return. Okay, listen carefully. The room that you are in right now belongs to a very dangerous specimen that is used for testing survivability." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata looked towards the person that was curled up in the corner of the room. He could hear them mumbling something.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"...I...don't....you can't...they'll find you....they will keep you hanging....not a game.....can you see me...?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The persons voice was raspy and it sounded like he was in pain. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Now listen to my instructions. It's all the help you're gonna get. On the back of Chipper's neck, just like with regular people, there is a pressure point that will knock them out instantly. If you can hit that, then you pass. If you can't, then we'll try to get you out. But there's a very high chance that you'll die." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Then the voice went silent. Arata was trembling so much that he could barely stand on his feet. The smell in the room was so strong that it was clear that these bodies have been decaying here for awhile. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata felt something rising in his throat. He doubled over and threw up. Since he didn't eat anything in the past few days, he was mostly throwing up his stomach fluids.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He wiped his mouth with his bare arm and then turned towards the person. To his horror, he was met with sharp icy blue eyes. This persons face was so horribly mangled that they didn't even look human anymore. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You....you shouldn't...be here....child....." the person said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>They slowly got on all fours and began to stalk towards Arata like a predator hunting for its prey.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Young...one....too young....they always send the young ones....that's what they do...." the person continued to stalk forwards. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata continued to back away when the person got closer to him. His body froze when he ended up backed into a wall.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"All around the mulberry bush....Im gonna find you..." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata was confused when the person began to sing. It sounded like a lullaby that his grandmother used to sing, but the lyrics weren't the same.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Come out come out wherever you are.....I'm right behind you....!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata felt his heart stop when the person sped up and was now leaping at him. Every part of him wanted to scream, but he knew that it wouldn't help.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His body seemed to become possessed as he moved out of the way of the persons trajectory. The person ended up hitting the wall, face first. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>However, this didn't stop them. They spun around, splattering Arata with blood and chunks of god knows what else. They leaped at him again and this time, they pinned him down firmly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Their tongue lolled out of their mouth and hung down their mangled jaw.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Open up..." they hissed.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata couldn't do anything as the person dug their hands into his stomach. He's felt immense pain before, but nothing will ever beat the feeling of someone tearing your skin open and searching through your organs. The world around him began to fade out as the pain got to him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>-</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Arata? Arata, can you hear me?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata awoke to the sound of a young mans voice. He blinked open his eyes and looked around him. Where was he now? </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Ah, good. You're awake. I'm honestly surprised that you're still breathing. It's been a few weeks since the incident. You're lucky that they got to you in time. It seems like you were exactly what they were looking for. No one has ever survived in the same room as Chipper. And I mean absolutely no one. You're the first. He did damage some of your organs and some internal bleeding was taken care of, but other than that. You're a survivor, Arata." The man said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata looked down at his body. He was now shirtless and laying in a hospital bed. The first thing he saw was the bloodstained bandages that were wrapped around his abdomen. How long did that guy say he was out? A few weeks?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Now, let's see if you can get back on your feet. If you need me, I'll be here to assist." The Doctor person said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata nodded. Much to his body's displeasure, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed. When he sat up, he could feel his inside moving. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"What...why..." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Oh, you must be experiencing the after effects. Don't worry, everything will eventually fall back into place once you get moving." The doctor said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>That didn't sound right to him. He slid off of the bed, letting his feet touch the bare ground. He stood up tall. Nothing felt different to him. Taking a step forwards, Arata tried to ignore the uncomfortable feeling that was happening inside of his body. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Alright. Looks like you're good. I just need one more thing from you, Arata. I need to check the progress on the device that was planted in you a few weeks ago." The doctor said, pulling out a small flashlight.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata turned towards the man and nodded. The man held open Arata's eyelid and peered into his right eye.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Alright, can you see the light that I'm shinning?" The man asked.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata shook his head.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"It looks....red..." he explained.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Ah, Thank you. You can lay back down if you want to." The man said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He didn't account for what Arata said next.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Sir....can I see what I look like?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The man stared at Arata for a moment before he took out his cellular device and his front facing camera then handed it to Arata.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>As he saw what he looked like, he stopped breathing momentarily.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The left side of his face was fine. His left eye was gray, just like always. But when he saw his right eye, his heart stopped. No wonder he couldn't see. His entire eye was blood red. The pupil and the normally white part were red as well. And a thin stream of blood fell from his left eye like tears. The area around his left eye looked to have been branded. There was a circle burned into his face, around his eye.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hideous.</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Go read this story on my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47 for a better version.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. If Only. If Only.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>If only, if only,<br/>The woodpecker sighs,<br/>The bark on<br/>The trees were<br/>As soft as<br/>The skies</p><p>As the wolf waits below,<br/>Hungry and lonely,<br/>He cries<br/>To the moon,<br/>If only,<br/>If only</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>"Yuu-chan? Yuu-chan! Wake up! I need you for awhile."  Yukio said, shaking the small girls form.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata stood off to the side. He was looking around Yuu's room with mild interest. He was surprised to see that it looked similar to his room. Well, he didn't know what he expected, to be honest.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"...ngh~...five more...minutes...." Yuu mumbled.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He didn't know how he was talked into this. Nearly an hour before homeroom started, the Ultimate Mad Scientist convinced Arata to come with him to wake up Yuu for his experiment. What did he mean by that, Arata didn't want to know.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Come on Yuu-chan! You made a promise. I brought Arata-san here as well." Yukio said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yuu groaned and sat up. Her hair was all over the place. Even her ahoge was frizzy </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Fine...but I don't...know if...I can...make it there...." she said, before yawning.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"That's alright. I'll just have Arata-san carry you."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"What? I didn't agree to that." Arata cut in.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yukio looked back at him with pleading eyes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You still owe me, Arata-san. Please cooperate. This shouldn't take too terribly long." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata clenched his teeth and grit them together slightly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Fine. Yuu-san, wrap your arms around my neck when I pick you up, okay?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yuu responded with a drowsy nod. He approached the side of her bed and then proceeded to scoop the girl up into his arms. Surprisingly, she was incredibly light. At least it made the job easier for him. As instructed, Yuu wrapped her arms around Arata's neck to keep from falling out of his arms.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Alright. Now follow me. Sorry for waking you up so early, Yuu-chan. I stayed at the school overnight and I created something that I'm positive will help weaken your symptoms." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata raised an eyebrow.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You were allowed to stay at the school overnight? Don't you live off-campus?" He asked.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I do indeed. I got permission from the Headmaster that allowed me to stay at the school overnight as long as it was beneficial to my talent. And it was!" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata could barely keep up with how fast Yukio was talking as they approached the chemistry lab. Thankfully, it was empty for the time being.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Alright, you can set Yuu-chan down on the table over there. I need to grab a few things." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata did as he was told and then continued to watch as Yukio scrambled around the room, grabbing different things.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Is he always like this?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yuu nodded.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Yeah....but he's not...that bad...." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata ignored the last part. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Thanks for...helping...." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"It wasn't exactly my choice. I owe him after something he did to help me out." Arata explained.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yuu tilted her head to the side. Curiosity gleamed in her eyes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"He did....huh....?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata was relieved when she didn't press any further on the topic. They both jumped at the sound of glass shattering. Yukio looked to have just dropped a beaker and paid no mind to it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I'll clean that up later!" He shouted.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata couldn't help but facepalm. How had he gotten himself into this mess?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"What exactly does he mean when he says he's going to do experiments on you?" The survivor asked.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yuu seemed to hesitate before giving him an answer.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"He said....he wants...to help....with my.....sickness....so I don't...." she trailed off.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>If he wasn't curious before, he was now.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Aren't you the Ultimate Daydreamer? Why are you acting like his guinea pig?" He asked.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He knew that he probably shouldn't be asking, but this sounded somewhat illegal to him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Um....can you....keep a....secret...?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Depends on the secret. As long as you didn't kill anyone, then I won't tell." He replied, ever so blunt.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Alright....I'm not...the Ultimate...Daydreamer....-" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"She's the Ultimate Human Test Subject." Yukio finished, approaching the two.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata's eyes widened in shock. Human test subject? Wasn't that illegal?!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Wha...how...what on earth..."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"That was my reaction when I accidentally walked in on Yuu-chan when she was talking to a few men in suits. They told me to keep quiet and I gave them a compromise. If I could cure Yuu-chan's sickness before the end of her last semester, then they would stop their testing on her." Yukio explained.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The boy set a few things down on the counter, sorting through them quickly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I was...surprised...that they....said yes...." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata didn't know how to feel about this. It sounded so wrong.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Why don't you just tell the headmaster, or the police?!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Both Yukio and Yuu looked at each other with the same look in their eyes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"We cannot. These people are very powerful. More than you might think. I'm afraid we will just have to hope." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata felt his heart burning. This was messed up!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Arata-san....are you...okay...?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata sighed. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I want in." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"What?!" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You heard me. I said I want in. Not because we're friends, but because what they're doing is wrong." Arata said firmly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Why...are you....so....concerned....?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I have my reasons." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>They didn't speak any further about it. They just continued like nothing happened.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Alright, Yuu-chan. Hold out your arm. I put my most recent prototype into this syringe." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Okay...."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata watched as the small girl held her arm out to the other boy without even thinking twice. How was she so trusting of him? </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yukio found one of Yuu's veins and quickly slipped in the needle. He injected the strange substance then pulled the needle back out.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Alright. Tell me if you feel any side effects throughout the day. Report to me after classes are over and tell me the results. And remember, when you cough, use the handkerchief that I gave you." Yukio was speak at a very fast pace but Yuu still seemed to understand him perfectly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Thanks again....Yuki-chan....."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yukio seemed surprised by the nickname but he didn't say anything else to her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Arata-san, can you please take her to the cafeteria for breakfast. I still have work to do here." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Before Arata could respond, Yukio shooed them out of the room and shut the door behind them.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I hope he realizes that the chemistry lab isn't just for him." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"He does...he's just....strange....i guess..." she said, yawning</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata stared at the girl for a moment before he sighed.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Hey, are you gonna be able to walk by yourself or do you need me to carry you again?" He asked.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I'm fine...for now...lets go....to the....cafeteria..."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata began to walk forwards.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Then</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Something clicked in his mind. He looked back towards Yuu. She was standing still. A shadow fell over her eyes, hiding her expression. But it don't take him long to notice the thin line of crimson that dripped from the corner of her mouth. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>No</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It wasn't just from her mouth. There was multiple areas on her body that began to spurt blood. Along with that, there was a purple liquid that mixed with the blood as well. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata was completely horrified by the scene in front of him. Yuu raised her head to look at him. That's when he got a good look at her eyes. They were glossed over by scarlet.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She was...crying blood.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Oh, such irony.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Yuu-chan...I'm sorry....I-i...I wanted to save you!" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yuu continued staring at him. Her face was unreadable. She suddenly doubled over, coughing violently.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He moved forwards in order to help her. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Arata..."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He froze in place. That voice. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Why won't you...remember...I tried...to help you.....but....my time....is up...."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata realize that Yuu had disappeared. He was standing in an entirely black world. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Yuu-chan!!! YUU-CHAN!!!!"</em>
</p><p>——————————————————————</p><p>Arata sat up quickly. His whole body was drenched in sweat.</p><p>His heart was beating a mile a minute. For a solid minute, he had no idea where the hell he was.</p><p>Oh right. He was at Soaring Heights High School. With his classmates......in a killing game.</p><p>His head began pounding once the realization struck him. Groaning inwardly, he rolled out of the bed. A cold chill ran down his spine. After looking around, he confirmed that he was alone in his room.</p><p>'<em>I thought....no...it's probably just my imagination....</em>'</p><p>"<strong>Good morning, everyone! It is now 7 a.m. and nighttime is officially over! Time to rise and shine! Get ready to greet another beee-yutiful day.</strong>"</p><p>Arata listened halfheartedly to the morning announcement. The only thoughts in his head were how much he didn't want to leave his room. But...Ren has asked everyone to be there...so...he had to.</p><p>-</p><p>Ren was waiting for everyone to arrive when Arata got there. He couldn't help but notice the grand assortment of flowers that lay on the table behind Ren.</p><p>A few moments passed and it looked like everyone had arrived. Except Hideshi. Even Kichino was there. Which was surprising. </p><p>"Hello everyone. I'm glad that you all came. I know that the recent events that took place have effected up greatly, which is why I want you all to join me as I wish our friends farewell one last time." Ren said.</p><p>"And what makes you think that we would participate?" Kichino asked.</p><p>"Oh, if you don't wish to participate, you don't have to. I'm not going to force anyone to do something that they aren't comfortable with." Ren replied.</p><p>After hearing that, the Luckster scoffed and took his leave. Surprisingly, Haru followed shortly after him. </p><p>Then Sara.</p><p>Then Kotori.</p><p>Even Riku. </p><p>Then there was three. </p><p>Ren closed his eyes. He put another smile on his face, although, part of Arata knew it was forced.</p><p>He looked towards Atsu.</p><p>"Why did you stay?" </p><p>Atsu looked down at his hands.</p><p>"Because I wanted to. We lost our classmates. I thought....it was important...." he trailed off.</p><p>Ren approached the Swindler and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.</p><p>"Of course it's important. It's just that some people can't handle things like this so easily." </p><p>Arata nodded in confirmation. He walked up beside the two boys.</p><p>"Who are we going to start with?" </p><p>"I think we should start with Samuru-kun. Since he's the only stop that's in the boys dormitory." Ren answered.</p><p>Atsu winched.</p><p>Ren moved towards the table that held the different flowers. He scooped them up into his arms and began to head towards the door.</p><p>They followed him.</p><p>-</p><p>The three boys stopped outside of Yukio's former room. After a moment of hesitation, Ren opened the door and entered the room. Arata was about to follow him when he noticed that Atsu hadn't moved.</p><p>'<em>That's right. Samuru-san killed Koharu-san. No wonder he's conflicted.</em>'</p><p>"Are you coming?"</p><p>"Um...if it's okay with you guys....I think I'll stay out here. I just....can't go in there...." Atsu responded.</p><p>Arata nodded and continued into the room. He watched as Ren placed a couple flowers on the desk. One of them wasn't a flower.</p><p>"What's that?"</p><p>Ren looked to where Arata was pointing and smiled. He picked up the plant.</p><p>"This is a fern. A simple green plant that makes a very nice decoration in a home. Even if it's not a flower, it still holds a meaning to it. It symbolizes fascination. This is something that I found very abundant in Samuru-kun's personality."</p><p>Arata stared at the small green plant. He nodded and gestured towards the two other flowers, signaling for Ren to continue.</p><p>Ren placed the fern plant back down. He picked up the next flower.</p><p>"This is a coral rose. It's one of the lesser known rose colors but it still is very beautiful. It symbolizes desire. This was also something that I saw in Samuru-kun. His desire for knowledge and such. I can't help but wonder if this was the reason that he decided to commit such an atrocity." </p><p>Arata stared at the single rose. He had to admit that it was possible for Yukio to have murdered over his desire to leave.</p><p>Ren set the flower down gently and picked up the final one.</p><p>"This is known as Queen Anne's Lace. A very extraordinary and fragile flower. They are always found in singles or in groups. Strange isn't it. This flower symbolizes complexity. I couldn't never seem to understand Samuru-kun. He had his own way of doing things that were unique to him alone. This made it hard to understand him. But even after everything, we shouldn't forget that he was still human. Humans make mistakes. His will to leave, ended up being his final flaw." </p><p>Ren set the flower down and closed his eyes. After watching the botanist for a moment, Arata looked back at the flowers. </p><p>"If you want, I can give you a moment to yourself." </p><p>Arata nodded. He watched as Ren left the room before his gaze fell back on the flowers.</p><p>"You definitely were strange. But I'm in no position to judge you. After all, I'm strange too. But...I just don't understand why you did this. Last time we talked, you seemed fine. Why would you suddenly change...." </p><p>He voice came to a stop as he felt a chill down his spine. Once again, he decided to ignore it.</p><p>"Hey....Yukio-san....I don't know why but...I feel like we could've been friends...if I had more time to understand you. But, I guess I can't do that now, can I?" </p><p>Arata weakly placed a hand on the polished wooden desk. </p><p>"...goodbye...."</p><p>His hand slid off the desk. He left the room. </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p>
  <em>"...goodbye..."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He watched as the boy left his room. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He felt cold. Why did this happen? </em>
</p><p>
  <em>It wasn't supposed to turn out like this...</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Arata-san....you are foolish....once you remember....then maybe we can make amends..."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His voice echoed, only for no one to hear. Silence. Loneliness. Just like he deserved.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He stared down at the flowers that were placed on his former desk. With his free hand, he unhooked his face mask and allowed it to fall to the ground. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He removed his hat, staring at it with a longing expression. He placed it on the desk.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His time was up.</em>
</p><p>——————————————————————</p><p>The three boys stood in the center of the girls dormitory. </p><p>"Alright, who should be go to next. I don't mind either but I'll leave the decision up to you two." Ren said.</p><p>Atsu had his eyes locked on a certain door. Arata seemed to catch on.</p><p>"Let's do Koharu-san's first." </p><p>Atsu looked at him. He smiled and nodded his head, as of to say 'thank you.'</p><p>They headed towards Koharu's room. Ren opened the door and walked towards the girls former desk. </p><p>Atsu took Arata's usual spot next to Ren. Arata didn't mind.</p><p>"Ren-san....can you....tell me what the flowers mean....? Please...." </p><p>Ren nodded. He pulled out the first flower and gently laid it down in the center of the desk.</p><p>"This is lavender. It is known for having a scent that can bring calmness. It is one of the most popular scents in aromatherapy. It always has a deep violet color. It symbolizes knowledge. It was often used for nobles and others in the past. It reminded me of Akifumi-san. She has a vast knowledge of the past. History of any kind. Big or small." </p><p>Atsu stared at the flower with a broken smile on his face. He made a sound that was a mix of a laugh and a sob.</p><p>"Y-Yeah...she did know a lot...." </p><p>Arata couldn't help but feel pity for the taller boy. He didn't know how close he and Koharu were, but it must have been very close.</p><p>Ren smiled at Atsu and grabbed a second thing, which was not a flower, but a plant. He held it up so that all three of them could see it.</p><p>"This is sage. It is a beautiful green plant with heavenly soft leaves. It is a plant that is favored by all species, do to the comfort it brings with it. Although it's not a flower, it still means something. It symbolizes wisdom. Although it may not be noticeable at first, Akifumi-san was quite wise."</p><p>Atsu nodded in agreement.</p><p>"....she was always like that....she gives her own form of advice...but it kinda confused some people." </p><p>The Swindler looked terrible. His eyes were red and puffy from the tears that slid down his face. </p><p>Ren gave his look of sympathy before he placed the sage down on the desk. He took out the final flower and placed it down next to the sage.</p><p>"This is a wild rose. It's very unique considering it's appearance. Normally, a rose is smaller and folded inwards, but this rose grows and spreads its petals out fully. It symbolizes charming simplicity. I though it was perfect to describe Akifumi-san. She was very simple yet she truly could be wild. She had a certain charm to her that I just couldn't place. Don't you think so, Atsu-kun?" </p><p>Atsu was staring at the wild rose with a painfully sad look in his eyes. He quickly wiped away his tears with the sleeve of his jacket.</p><p>"Y-Yes...charming simplicity....it's the perfect description of her..." his voice cracked.</p><p>"Me and Arata-kun will give you a moment to yourself. Come outside when you are done." </p><p>Ren motioned for Arata to follow him out of the room. They both stood in silence for a moment. </p><p>-</p><p>A little bit of time passed before Atsu exited the room. He nodded to Arata and then the survivor switched out with him.</p><p>Arata made his way back to the desk. Glancing over the flowers on Koharu's former desk. He sighed.</p><p>"If only....you had fought just a little more....then maybe you would have made it out....but...you were just tired, weren't you? Tired of this killing game. Tired of this lifeless routine. I can't say that I feel the same, but I know where you're coming from." </p><p>Arata closed his eyes. His mind flashed back to when he had found Koharu's body. </p><p>The look in her eyes were wide and panicked. Her mouth was hanging up and blood spilled from it. </p><p>He shuddered.</p><p>"Good luck....I guess. Atsu-san still thinks about you. I have a feeling that you two knew each other outside this killing game. But I'm not sure."</p><p>He sighed again.</p><p>"If only....if only...."</p><p>He turned and left the room.</p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p>
  <em>She watched him go.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She didn't know how to feel about what was happening. Why were they taking the time to do this? Was she really worth it?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She could see the flowers that were placed on her desk. Such an odd choice. Perfect for her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She crossed her arms and looked back towards the door.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Ah...how will Atsu-chin function without me...."</em>
</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>Arata gulped as they approached the last door. </p><p>Yuu's room. </p><p>He had been looking forward to this and dreading it all at the same time. He still didn't want to face the cruel reality of it all.</p><p>Ren approached the desk. Arata walked up beside him, followed by Atsu.</p><p>He didn't even notice how he was trembling when he entered the room. </p><p>Arata flinched when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Oh, it was just Atsu. The taller boy was looking at him in concern. However, Arata didn't look him in the eyes. </p><p>Ren pulled out he first thing. Surprisingly, this flower didn't have a stem. </p><p>"This is a cactus flower. It's found, naturally, growing from barrel cacti. Commonly. Not always. It symbolizes endurance, due to its ability to stay alive and beautiful when faced with the dry climates that cacti grow in. It was tough to separate from the cactus I found it on, but it was worth every struggle. I think this one is one of Yuu-san's most vibrant traits. As her talent implies, she's been faced with much hardship and pain. But despite this, she lived on past it...till now.." </p><p>Arata felt his heart practically break. It was true. She did endure lots of pain in the past. Just like him. They were the same, yet they couldn't possibly be further apart.</p><p>He was snapped out of his thoughts when Ren grabbed the second flower and placed it down on the desk.</p><p>"This is a Forget-Me-Not flower. It has a beautiful pastel bluish purple color. They are one of the more well known flowers. Despite its ironic name, it symbolizes memories. Even thought Yuu-san forgot what she did, she remembered her friends. She remembered you, Arata-kun." </p><p>Arata became aware that Ren was now staring at him. He didn't know if he could handle this much longer. His heart was so close to breaking.</p><p>Ren pulled out the final flower and took Arata's hand. The flower was placed in the survivors hand and Ren guided it to the desk, where Arata set down the flower.</p><p>"A white rose. Another common color in the rose family. It has a brilliant white color, tinted with yellow. It is commonly given to those who have just recently given birth. It is also found at weddings. It symbolizes innocence. Innocence was something that would define Yuu-san's character well. But here's the next ironic thing. It has another meaning, that is so unknown that it seems to be a secret. It also symbolizes secrecy. Yuu-san was one to keep secrets, but she had the right to. Of course she didn't want people to know her talent. I don't think she would've revealed it if it hadn't been for Nakashima-kun." </p><p>Arata's hand was trembling. His eyes were locked on the white rose. His vision started to grow blurry and he finally noticed that he was crying. </p><p>Ren and Atsu turned and left the room, leaving him to stand alone beside the desk of his deceased friend.</p><p>He unconsciously gripped his blazer, right above his heart. It was like he was trying to rip his heart out.</p><p>"M....my.....family....."</p><p>More tears fell. He leaned over the desk, using his arms to keep himself from falling. </p><p>"...you were....my only.....family....."</p><p>His tears fell from his eyes and landed on the bright petals of the white rose. </p><p>"Yuu-chan.....I tried....I tired to protect you.....but.....I was just as useless as I've always been....."</p><p>His voice cracked. Squeezing his eyes shut, he clenched his fist.</p><p>"Why....why can't....I just.....is this what I get...? Being the Ultimate Survivor.....means that only I survive......I'm sorry...."</p><p>He sobbed. Not loudly, but just enough that anyone listening could practically feel his heart breaking.</p><p>"....you're....the first person that I truly cared about....cause...I found comfort with our similarities...."</p><p>His voice cracked again and he forced a laugh past his lips.</p><p>"...you know....we could've escaped....but...why was it...you....anyone could've walked in on Samuru-san while he was committing the crime...so why....why was it you....it could have been anyone else!"</p><p>Arata wiped his eyes with his sleeve.</p><p>"...I don't know why you were always so tired. I guess that's just something you were. I never....had someone put their trust in me before....you really did feel like a sister to me...Yuu-chan."</p><p>He forced out another laugh. It was painful.</p><p>"Heh....I'm pathetic....aren't I..? I'm crying so much....because of someone that I only knew for a few weeks...." </p><p>It was strange for him. He was normally so hardhearted towards everyone. But something about this killing game made him feel he should worry about everyone else's survival as much as his own.</p><p>Arata gave himself a moment to calm down. The tears finally stopped flowing and he closed his eyes again.</p><p>"Thank you...for everything. Even if it was only for a short while, I'm glad that I met you. You helped me feel....hopeful. I finally know what it feels like to care for someone. You really were the light of my life...Yuu-chan...." </p><p>Arata smiled and turned towards the door. Before he left, he looked back once more.</p><p>"Take care of yourself....please..."</p><p>The door shut with a gentle click.</p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p>
  <em>"Thank you...for everything. Even if it was only for a short while, I'm glad that I met you. You helped me feel....hopeful. I finally know what it feels like to care for someone. You really were the light of my life...Yuu-chan...."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She couldn't stop the tears that mercilessly fell from her eyes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Arata...Arata...I'm sorry....I never meant....for....you to....hurt...."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He couldn't hear her. She knew this. But it didn't stop her from trying.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She watched as her friend was about to exit her former room.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Take care of yourself....please..."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>After that, he was gone. She was alone in her room. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her legs wobbled before giving out beneath her. She hid her face in her hands, sobbing weakly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He didn't deserve to hurt like this. Why couldn't she do anything? She wants to help him. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"A-Arata....Arata....." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>She wailed the boys name, knowing that he still wouldn't hear her. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>No one...ever....hears....her.....</em>
</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>When Arata closed Yuu's door behind him, he noticed that Ren and Atsu were gone. </p><p>He stared down at his feet blankly.</p><p>"Arata-chan.....?" </p><p>Arata quickly snapped his head up and was met with Haru's sharp red eyes.</p><p>Ah that's right. He probably looked awful. His eyes were puffy and red and his hair was slightly tangled.</p><p>"Oh....Haru-chan...." </p><p>"Is Arata-chan okay? You were just in Yuu-san's room, right?" The puppet asked him.</p><p>"Uh, um....yeah. I was just....doing something....it's not important. You don't need to worry about it." </p><p>His voice was trembling. He hoped it wasn't as noticeable as he thought it was.</p><p>Just as he was about to turn and leave, he felt a pair of arms wrap around him in a hug. He looked down at Haru, who had her chin pressed against his chest and was looking up at him. As much as the action caught him by surprise, nothing would surprise him more than what came next.</p><p>"If...Arata-chan is hurting....then he should tell someone...."</p><p>Arata widened his eyes at her. Haru had just spoken to him. Not through her puppet, but with her own voice. It was a bit deeper than the one that she gave her puppet. It was slightly raspy as well.</p><p>He didn't know why he did what he did next. But he wrapped his arms around Haru, returning the hug. </p><p>His legs gave out beneath him, but Haru managed to guide them both to the ground so that they sat on their knees. He cried into her shoulder.</p><p>She was only an inch or two shorter than him, but he didn't care. She just simply hugged him, making him feel secure.</p><p>When was the last time she used her real voice? It must have been years...she really didn't remember.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Pls go read this on my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47. It’s SO much better.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Hoplophobia - The Fear Of Firearms</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>5:36 pm.</p><p>Arata sighed as he approached the third floor. He had a hunch that a new pathway would be open, like the last two times. </p><p>He was right. A new gate had opened, allowing access to what he assumed to be the fourth floor.</p><p>As he was about to move forwards and ascend the stairs, he hesitated.</p><p>'<em>Is it really safe to go up there alone?</em>'</p><p>He couldn't know for sure. But he did know that he had to be careful. </p><p>Looking behind him, he spotted the metal door that led into the armory. An idea popped into his head.</p><p>-</p><p>Trust. </p><p>A firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. </p><p>Trust was something that Arata never really cared about. He never placed his trust in anyone since that day. Not even in Yuu. He was aware that she had trusted him, but he didn't rely on her or anything. </p><p>He never believed in trust. Which is why he was now taking a pocket knife off of the armory weapon wall. </p><p>Has he ever used a knife before? Yes. But only in self defense. And that was the only way he ever wanted to use it. </p><p>Arata shoved the small weapon into his pants pocket. </p><p>-</p><p>The fourth floor.</p><p>The first thing that was noticeable about it. Was that it was completely dark. With all the widows blocked, the entire floor was plunged in blackness. </p><p>Arata narrowed his eyes. He pulled out his Monopad and turned on the flashlight. </p><p>At first glance, he didn't see anything. Ignoring that fear that crept up his spine, he walked forwards, allowing himself to be engulfed in darkness. </p><p>Something about this floor made him incredibly uneasy. Just like when he first woke up in the school and was wandering around alone.</p><p>
  <em>*clink*</em>
</p><p>Arata spun around, looking back towards the staircase. There was no one there. </p><p>He hesitantly turned back on his original path and continued forwards. It didn't take him long to reach a door to his left. It was an old looking wooden door and it had a rusty metal knob. </p><p>
  <em>*clink*</em>
</p><p>Arata froze as he heard the same sound again. This time, he didn't turn around. Instead, he stayed in place, slowly reaching into the pocket that held the knife. He had a tight grip on the weapon.</p><p>
  <em>*tink* *tink*</em>
</p><p>Arata continued to listen. The sounds were growing closer to him. Whatever it was, it sounded heavy.</p><p>
  <em>*scratch* *scrap* *squueeak*</em>
</p><p>He could hear his own heartbeat in his ears. He could hear metal scrapping against the ground. He found that he was frozen in place.</p><p>Arata grew pale as he heard a low rumbling noise that sounded like growling. </p><p>He finally snapped out of his daze and whipped around, shinning the light at whatever was behind him.</p><p>As he turned around, something leaped at him, knocking the light out of his hand, but he got a pretty good glimpse of what it was.</p><p>(Half white, half black fur, and one glowing bright red eye. It was like monokuma, but in the shape of a wolf. A dog? Metals teeth glistened with saliva.)</p><p>The creature was inches away from his face, pinning Arata to the ground. It snapped at his face, nearly biting his nose. He struggled to keep the creature away from his face.</p><p>The beast dug it's metal claws into the survivors shoulders, causing his grip to weaken. </p><p>It let out a mechanical and primal screech, throwing its head back. He took this moment to push the creature off of him.</p><p>The beast landed a few feet away from Arata. It's red eye was the only thing that lit up the room. He took the knife out of his pocket and opened it. He was ready to attack.</p><p>'<em>Damnit! What the hell is this thing?</em>'</p><p>Before he could do anything else, the beast lunged at him, growling wildly. </p><p>It swiped at his hand, knocking the knife into the darkness. Now defenseless, Arata was running out of options.</p><p>The beast leaped at him once more, swiping it's claws at him. He put his arms in front of his face protectively, making his lower body a perfect target. The beast swiped at his stomach.</p><p>All Arata could hear was he sound of his blazer ripping, then the sound of his flesh tearing. Crimson slowly began to stain his abdomen, and he doubled over, clutching his wounded stomach. </p><p>At the sight of blood, the creature seemed to go absolutely ballistic. It began growling and screeching loudly, then it charged him. </p><p>Was he going to die? </p><p>After everything he went through, was this how it was going to end? Dying at the hands of some strange animal.</p><p>'<em>No...I can't...die....I promised....Yuu....</em>'</p><p>Shakily, he got to his feet, still clutching his wounded stomach. Time seemed to slow down for him as the beast leaped at him. His eyes widened when it opened its mouth, revealing rows upon rows of metallic and serrated teeth.</p><p>It went directly for his throat. </p><p>He swore, in that moment, he could see his life flash before his eyes.</p><p>The house. The fire. His 'rescue'.</p><p>His capture. His pain. His survival.</p><p>His real rescue. The orphanage.</p><p>
  <strong>*Bang!*</strong>
</p><p>The creature was thrown to the side by some unseen force. There was a hole in its red eye. Then, the red eye began blinking. A beeping noise began to sound slowly getting faster.</p><p>Arata didn't process when he felt someone grab his arm and yank him forwards. His legs moved on their own, following his saviors lead. He was still looking at the now unmoving body of the creature.</p><p>He was pulled around a corner just as the explosion happened. Wait, he could see. He looked around, noticing he was on the staircase closest to the boys dormitory side. </p><p>The person kept pulling him down the stairs, and he finally recognized who it was. </p><p>Sara.</p><p>She was holding something black.</p><p>(The outline was familiar. It was a pistol)</p><p>He opened his mouth to speak but he couldn't find his voice. Instead, he began coughing. Violently. He felt something rising his his throat and he threw it up.</p><p>It was blood. Oh, god.</p><p>Once he tuned back into reality, he realized he was now on the first floor. Sara was still dragging him and he was struggling to keep up. </p><p>His eyes threatened to close. Looking behind him, he saw that he was practically leaving a trail of blood. </p><p>Where were they going? This was the direction of the infirmary, right?</p><p>"I-Ikeda-san?! Wha-what did you do-do?!" </p><p>Arata looked up and saw Riku standing in front of them, looking beyond horrified.  </p><p>That was understandable. Sara was hold a gun and dragging a bleeding out boy behind her. A common misunderstanding....probably...</p><p>"Riku-kun. I need you to help me with him. I didn't hurt him. Help me bring him to the infirmary. He's still in shock so he won't be able to do much on his own." </p><p>Sara's words were sharp and to the point. She made it clear that there was no time to waste. </p><p>Riku looked between the two and shakily nodded his head. </p><p>"Alr-alri-alright" </p><p>——————————————————————</p><p>"O-okay. We-we need to st-stop the bleeding. C-can you rem-remove his shirt?" Riku asked.</p><p>The assistant was panicking pretty badly and his body was shaking as well. He rummaged through the cabinets in the infirmary.</p><p>Sara quickly removed Arata's blazer and his black undershirt. She paused momentarily when she saw the old scar of what looked like a surgery mark across his stomach. But it was immediately forgotten when she saw the claw marks across his lower stomach. </p><p>The wounds were pretty deep and blood was still seeping out of them slowly. She grabbed a cloth that was near the sink and pressed it against the wound, applying enough pressure. </p><p>She looked up when Riku dropped a couple things that he was trying to carry all at once.</p><p>"Ah- sh-shoot!"</p><p>Sara returned her gaze to Arata's face. His visible eye was still open. He was still conscious. Barely. He was still in shock though.</p><p>'<em>What was that thing that I heard attack him? How could it have done this much damage. If I hadn't heard it....who knows what would've happened...</em>'</p><p>Her grip on the cloth tightened ever so slightly.</p><p>"I-Ikeda-san! Has the bl-bleeding stop y-yet?" </p><p>Riku placed a few items on a the table next to Arata.</p><p>"I think so. Let me check." </p><p>Sara raised the cloth up. It was halfway soaked with blood. But, the bleed had indeed stopped.</p><p>Riku began moving around frantically. He was mumbling what sounded like instructions to himself as he worked. </p><p>"I-I need help cl-cleaning the wound. Ta-take this and c-clean the excess b-blood." </p><p>Sara nodded and took the wet rag that Riku had and began to clean Arata's wound without reopening it. </p><p>Once she was done, Riku grabbed a bottle of antiseptic and soaked another rag. He placed it against the wound and held it there. </p><p>Ten minutes later, he removed it. The wound now looked a little better. Not good, but better. </p><p>"I would like an explanation as to why the hallway is covered in blood."</p><p>Sara turned towards the door, looking at Kichino. Kichino finally noticed Arata on the bed. His eyes narrowed.</p><p>"What on earth happened?"</p><p>Sara frowned. </p><p>"Go gather the other students and tell them to meet here." She instructed.</p><p>Kichino crossed his arms, looking quite offended.</p><p>"When did it deem acceptable for you to order me around?"</p><p>Sara narrowed her eyes at him.</p><p>"This concerns you too. I wont tell you what happened if everyone isn't here. So good luck not knowing what almost killed Arata-kun, and could easily kill you," she deadpanned.</p><p>Kichino grit his teeth together. </p><p>"Tsk. Fine.</p><p>He turned and left the infirmary.</p><p>"I-Ikeda-san! I need yo-your help. Can y-you lift up A-Arata-kun so I can wr-wrap the bandages arou-around him." </p><p>She nodded. She slid her arms under Arata's body, slowly lifting his back off of the bed. Holding him there, she waited for Riku.</p><p>The assistant began to wrap the bandages around wound. He was quick but effective. Once he had wrapped the wound at least twice, he tied it off and pulled away, frazzled.</p><p>Sara slowly lowered Arata back down onto the bed. She noticed that the survivors eyes were closed. He must be asleep. That's good at least. </p><p>——————————————————————</p><p>7:03 pm.</p><p>The first person to burst through the infirmary door was Kotori.</p><p>Followed by Atsu, then Ren, then Haru, and then Kichino. </p><p>"Where's Nakashima-san?" Sara asked the Luckster.</p><p>She scoffed.</p><p>"You tell me. He was not nearby so I stopped my search." </p><p>"I told you that I wont tell you anything without everyone here." She said.</p><p>Then, as if as a miracle happened, Hideshi stumbled through the infirmary door.</p><p>"Shit!" </p><p>The boy tumbled to the ground. He rebounded by getting up as quickly as he fell.</p><p>"What the hell happened?!" He mystery boy asked.</p><p>"I'd like to know as well. Is Arata-kun okay?" Kotori asked.</p><p>"Is he dead?!?" Haru's puppet asked frantically.</p><p>"N-No! I think he's ju-just unconscious from the-the blood lo-loss." Riku said.</p><p>Sara watched as the students crowned around the bed, staring at Arata's unconscious body in concern.</p><p>"Everyone, let's calm down. I'm sure Arata-kun is fine. He seems to still be breathing and whatever injuries he had look to have been taken care of. We have no reason to worry." Ren said.</p><p>"Also, why is there a pistol next to Sara-san?" Atsu questioned.</p><p>"Ignore that." Sara answered.</p><p>"Ikeda-san. I was promised an explanation when I gathered everyone. Tell me what happened to him." Kichino demanded.</p><p>"I'm....not exactly sure what happened. I just need everyone to know that the forth floor is open and it's dangerous. Something up there tried to kill Arata-kun. The entire floor is pitch black so I don't know what it was." </p><p>Everyone blinked once.</p><p>"How did you guys make it out?!" </p><p>"I shot whatever it was. I could see something red nearby. I was mostly hoping that I wouldn't hit Arata-kun by mistake." She mumbled.</p><p>Everyone stared at her then a few eyes lingered towards the gun on the table. She waited. She knew that they were probably scared of her. Since when did kids like her know how to end something’s life in an instant. Only a monster would.</p><p>She widened her eyes and her entire body froze when she felt arms wrap around her body in a hug. She looked down to see Haru. She was hugging Sara.</p><p>"Thank you so much, Sara-san! You saved Arata-chan's life!" The puppet said.</p><p>That would never not be creepy to her. Ever.</p><p>"Um...thanks..."</p><p>Haru didn't pull away for a long moment. When she did, Sara felt her body relax.</p><p>"Sara-chan, maybe we should think about a plan of action. There could be something on that floor that could help us out of here. I doubt whatever attacked Arata-kun attacked him for no reason. Maybe it was guarding something. If that was the only one up there, and you said it's down, then maybe that floor is open now." Kotori said.</p><p>"Tomorrow. It's getting late and you all still need to eat. I'll stay here with Arata-kun and wait for him to wake up."</p><p>"You have to eat too."</p><p>"Then bring me something later."</p><p>"Alright. I'll send someone down after we're done. I'll try to be quick." </p><p>"I don't really care."</p><p>"Haha, Alright. Let's go, everyone." </p><p>The students slowly but hesitantly began to file out of the infirmary.</p><p>-</p><p>
  <strong>*Thud*</strong>
</p><p>"O-Ouch..." </p><p>Sara looked towards the infirmary door. Riku lay on the ground in the doorway, balancing a plate with food on it in his hand.</p><p>"Good job, you saved the plate. Now what about yourself?"</p><p>Riku shakily got to his feet. He handed the plate off to Sara and then adjusted his glasses. The assistant moved to the other side of the bed that Arata was laying in. He placed his hand over Arata's forehead, checking for any change.</p><p>He sighed.</p><p>"I-Ikeda-san. Can I as-ask you s-something. You-you don't ha-have to answer i-if you don't wa-want too." </p><p>Sara looked up at the assistant with a slight tint of amusement. She set down the bread that she had been eating on the plate.</p><p>"Ask away."</p><p>Riku nodded.</p><p>"Wh-When you were car-carrying the g-gun earlier, wh-when you ran in-into me, why were y-your hands shak-shaking? A-and your eyes were cl-closed. They only ope-opened when you he-heard me." </p><p>Sara froze in place. So she was really that obvious?</p><p>"Even if I told you, I don't think you'd believe it."</p><p>Riku shakily tilted his head to the side.</p><p>"I-I doubt th-that. Considering ou-our situa-situation, anything s-seems possible at th-this point."</p><p>After he spoke he gave her a friendly smile, trying his best to make her comfortable around him.</p><p>She found that a smirk had made its way onto her face.</p><p>"You're a weird kid."</p><p>"A-As I've been to-told." </p><p>She chuckled softly. </p><p>"If you really wanna know, then I'll tell you. Be can you keep it a secret. I still want to conserve the remaining pride that I have in my talent." </p><p>Riku quickly nodded, a bit too dramatically.</p><p>Sara sighed. Her gaze flickered towards the gun on the table before she tore her gaze away forcefully. She clenched her teeth slightly.</p><p>"A-Are yo-"</p><p>"I'm fine!"</p><p>She winched as she saw Riku recoil. She hadn't meant to snap at him. More or less at least.</p><p>"I have a fear of guns. I can't look at them or I'll start to freak out. It's due to something that happened when I was younger. But yeah, I'm the Ultimate Markswoman and I cant look at a gun. I was really surprised when I was scouted by this place." She explained.</p><p>Riku stared at her for a moment before lowering his head.</p><p>"I-I think it's br-brave of you to t-tell me." </p><p>That was a shocker.</p><p>"Hmph. Whatever."</p><p>They were silent for a moment.</p><p>"H-How do you hi-hit your t-target when you ca-can't look at the g-gu-gun?" </p><p>"I've had training. It's all about what I can hear. I'm not a long-range person since I can't hear when I'm far away. Most of my shooting is just a gut instinct too. I've never once missed my target."</p><p>"W-Wow. That sounds am-amazing!" </p><p>Sara looked down at her hands.</p><p>"<strong>Mm, ahem, this is a school announcement. It is now 10 p.m. As such, it is officially nighttime. Soon the doors to the cafeteria will be locked. Okay then...sweet dreams, everyone! Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite...</strong>"</p><p>"A-Ah, we should pro-probably go no-now." Riku said.</p><p>Sara nodded. She looked back down at Arata who was still unconscious.</p><p>"Will it be smart to leave him here? What if something happens to him?" She asked.</p><p>"H-He's not in a con-condition to move a-around yet. H-He might get wo-worse if we actually move hi-him."</p><p>She sighed.</p><p>"I doubt he'll let anything kill him. He is the Ultimate Survivor after all." She murmured.</p><p>Riku nodded shakily.</p><p>"Y-Yeah..." </p><p>Sara turned and exited the infirmary. Today had definitely been strange. </p><p>"G-Goodnight, Ik-Ikeda-san!" </p><p>She froze. She took a moment to respond.</p><p>"Goodnight."</p><p>She watched as the assistant closed the door to the infirmary. He then walked off towards the boy dormitory. She turned and headed to the girls dormitory.</p><p>'<em>He's an....interesting kid...</em>'</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Go to my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47 for a better version of this story.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. I May Be Bad But I’m Perfectly Good At It</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"<strong>Good morning, everyone! It is now 7 a.m. and nighttime is officially over! Time to rise and shine! Get ready to greet another beee-yutiful day!</strong>"</p>
<p>Even after the announcement played, the entire school remained silent for another hour. It seemed like no one had woken up on time. Except for one person. </p>
<p>And this person was getting dangerously close to the forth floor. He held something tightly in his hand. It was a key with a Monokuma head on the grip of it. How enchanting. Perhaps they would finally find the use for it.</p>
<p>As he reached the forth floor, all he saw was darkness, that it, until his vision was flooded with lights. The whole floor light up at once as if the lights were motion activated. What did he see in the now lit up room?</p>
<p>Why, hell at its purest form. In front of him. Wolf-shaped Monokuma's stood there, staring at him with their glowing red jagged eye. He noticed that a few spare parts were scattered here and there. </p>
<p>The wolf like things unsheathed their claws. They began to growl in a deep and mechanical tone. He shuddered. Before he could comprehend it, one of them leaped at him, baring it's teeth ferociously. </p>
<p>He covered his face with his hands, waiting for the ripping pain. But that pain never came.</p>
<p>He waited a minute. Two minutes. Still nothing. </p>
<p>He slowly lowered his arms. He soon discovered the reason for the withdrawal. The beasts were now staring at the key in his hand. The one in front turned towards the others. It barked something at them and they separated, to make path for him. </p>
<p>At first, he didn't want to move, but curiosity got the best of him. He could see a metal door ahead. It had the faint picture of a puzzle piece on it. Was that a coincidence or...</p>
<p>He reached out with his hand and jiggled the doorknob. </p>
<p>Locked.</p>
<p>He reached out again, this time with the key in hand. He put it into the lock, silently praying hat it would work. He turned it.</p>
<p>
  <em>*click*</em>
</p>
<p>With that, the door swung open. A robotic voice sounded from a speaker in the room.</p>
<p>"<strong>Welcome to the Observatory, Hideshi Nakashima, The Ultimate Enigmatologist.</strong>"</p>
<p>——————————————————————</p>
<p>He was missing. Arata was missing. The bed where he was last seen was soaked in blood. It wasn't known whether or not that was there before Arata went missing.</p>
<p>Almost all of the students were searching for him. It was possible that he could've woken up and left, but they still haven't found him. </p>
<p>"<strong>Attention! All students please assemble in the gymnasium for a very special announcement.</strong>" </p>
<p>This didn't make the students feel any less uneasy.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>"<strong>Now, you're all probably wondering why I gathered you here. Well-</strong>"</p>
<p>"Cut the lies, what have you done with Katsune-san?"</p>
<p>Surprisingly, Kichino was the one to interrupt him.</p>
<p>"Yeah! Where's Arata-chan?" Haru's puppet asked, frantic.</p>
<p>"<strong>Hmm. Arata? I don't recall having a student named Arata. Are you sure you aren't going crazy?</strong>"</p>
<p>"Shut it, monobitch. Just tell us what you did with Arata-kun. He was injured so we need to know where he is now." Kotori said.</p>
<p>"<strong>Oooohhh~ Arata! You mean the boy who had a run in with one of my Monomutts? Hmm, I do wonder what happened to him. Oh wait! I remember now!</strong>"</p>
<p>Everyone perked up at the sound of this.</p>
<p>"W-Where is he-he?!" </p>
<p>"<strong>He's closer than you think. Upupupu~</strong>"</p>
<p>There was a loud clicking sound followed by a whirling noise. He curtains on the stage began to slowly open, and reveal something...horrifying.</p>
<p>Everyone stared up at the stage in horror.</p>
<p>"A-Arata...-chan....?" </p>
<p>"A-Arata-k-kun?!"</p>
<p>"What on earth...Katsune-san?" </p>
<p>Everyone looked at the bloody and mangled body that hung above the stage. Deep claw marks and teeth marks pierced almost every spot on his body. A pool of blood had began to form under the spot where he hung. </p>
<p>But that wasn't the worst part.</p>
<p>"He's still alive!!!" Kotori shouted.</p>
<p>Sure enough, even though he was hanging by his neck, Arata had somehow managed to keep the rope from choking him, but it didn't look like he could hold it much longer. He was using his remaining strength to pull the sides of the rope away from his neck.</p>
<p>"Quick! We need to get him down!!" Ren shouted.</p>
<p>"<strong>Upupu~ think about what you're doing. If any of you little bastards set foot on this stage, you'll be gunned down in an instant!</strong>"</p>
<p>As soon as he said it, two machine guns appeared on either side of the stage, ready to kill anything that moved.</p>
<p>"At least give us an explanation as to why you have tormented him like this!" Kichino demanded.</p>
<p>"<strong>Oh-ho~? You almost sound like you care about his well being!</strong>"</p>
<p>"Tsk. Don't be ridiculous. I am merely curious since he didn't appear to have done anything." He shot back.</p>
<p>"<strong>Well, he broke one of the school rules! It states clearly that no student must fall asleep outside of the their dorm room after the nighttime announcement has played!</strong>"</p>
<p>"W-Wait! He co-couldn't help it! H-h-he was unc-unconscious!" Riku argued.</p>
<p>"<strong>Was he now? That doesn't matter! Whether it was intentional or not, he still broke a school regulation! I have expressed before that those who disregard these rules will be punished! Unfortunately, this stubborn jackass is taking his sweet time to die!</strong>"</p>
<p>Monokuma looked up at the suspended survivor, who in return was glaring at him with a look that could kill.</p>
<p>Suddenly, The lights in the gymnasium flickered off then back on in a split second. Monokuma froze then promptly dropped to the ground with a clatter. The machine guns on either side of the stage looked to have just powered down at well.</p>
<p>"Quickly! We have to get him down! I don't know what happened but it looks like everything is momentarily offline! We probably don't have much time!" Sara shouted.</p>
<p>Everyone began moving quickly. Atsu was the first to hop up onto the stage and begin to search for a way to lower Arata to the ground. The other students followed after. </p>
<p>"Don't worry, Arata-chan! Just hang in there a little longer...I mean! Ugh, never mind!" Haru's puppet shouted.</p>
<p>"Everyone! I think I got the right rope! Someone be ready to catch Arata-kun!" Kotori shouted.</p>
<p>There was a soft sound of rope against rope could be heard then Arata's body jerked and then fell.</p>
<p>Atsu was there to catch the boy, and barely managed to keep him from hitting the ground. </p>
<p>"Fuck!" Arata hissed.</p>
<p>"How in the actual hell are you still alive?!" Kotori asked, frantic.</p>
<p>"I'm the *cough* Ultimate Survivor *cough cough* for a reason." He responded.</p>
<p>"H-He's losing so-so much blood! W-we-we have to g-get him to th-the infirmary!" Riku said.</p>
<p>"Here's a forewarning: We might have to strip you, Arata-kun." Kotori said, half laughing, half panicking.</p>
<p>"I honestly...don't care...just....do whatever....you....ca..n" Arata slowly trailed off as he fell unconscious once more.</p>
<p>"Why are you just standing there?! We have to get him to the infirmary! Quickly, before Monokuma comes back online!" Sara shouted.</p>
<p>"Ri-Right! Let's g-go!" Riku said, motioning for everyone to follow him.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>3:14 pm.</p>
<p>Arata slowly began to come to, but he wasn't fully awake. He was still very dazed and confused.</p>
<p>"Are you awake?" </p>
<p>Arata didn't respond. He simply remained staring at the ceiling with a blank look in his eyes.</p>
<p>"Tsk. That bear really did a number on you, didn't it?" </p>
<p>That voice sounded familiar to him. He couldn't quite place it though.</p>
<p>"Hmm. Katsune-san, how are you still alive? I have no idea how you managed to avoid being hung when you already lost so much blood....It does not make sense." </p>
<p>He felt the weight shift on the side of his bed, meaning someone sat down there.</p>
<p>"You as a person will continue to confuse me. How someone like you can reach my level. I can not fathom....I know you are awake."</p>
<p>Arata froze as he heard the last part. He looked to who was talking to him. </p>
<p>"Shinobu-san,"</p>
<p>"Yes? I thought you were incapacitated. Looks like you can recover faster than I accounted for." </p>
<p>Arata slowly began to shift in the bed. His body protested against his movements. He groaned in pain. </p>
<p>"You should not move so much. It will only irritate your wounds more." </p>
<p>"Alright....why are you...here?" He wheezed out as he sat himself upright.</p>
<p>"I was forced into a routine of watching you. My time started twenty minutes ago. It will end in forty minutes." </p>
<p>Arata nodded. Looking down at his body, he took note of the different bandages that covered almost his entire body. He decided to ignore the fact that he was naked. It didn't really matter that much to him.</p>
<p>"Geez...." </p>
<p>"Katsune-san. Tell me what you saw." </p>
<p>"Huh?"</p>
<p>"Tell me what you saw on the forth floor." </p>
<p>"The forth...floor...?" </p>
<p>Arata tried to recall the memories of his expedition to the forth floor, but everything was blank. Then it suddenly rushed back at him all at once. He began coughing, violently.</p>
<p>Kichino widened his eyes and pulled something out of his pocket. He handed it to Arata, who took it. </p>
<p>"Just use that if you need to sneeze or cough." </p>
<p>Arata continued to cough into the cloth. His coughing quickly turned into hacking. By the time he was done, the entire cloth was coated in his blood.</p>
<p>"My word." </p>
<p>"By the way...where's...my clothes...?" </p>
<p>Kichino's face scrunched up a bit before he sighed.</p>
<p>"The puppet girl said she would stitch them back up." </p>
<p>"Ah...that's good...I guess..." </p>
<p>"Now, tell me what you remember." </p>
<p>Arata sighed. He laid his head back down on the pillow.</p>
<p>"It was this weird dog thing that looked kinda like Monokuma... I think he said it was called a...'Monomutt'." </p>
<p>Kichino seemed to be thinking about this. </p>
<p>"Did it walk on all fours?"</p>
<p>"I think so."</p>
<p>"Did it have claws?"</p>
<p>"How do you think I was injured?"</p>
<p>"Was it actually a live animal?"</p>
<p>"Is pretty sure it was a robot."</p>
<p>"How did you defeat it?"</p>
<p>"I didn't. Sara-san did."</p>
<p>"How did she defeat it?"</p>
<p>"I think she shot it."</p>
<p>"Anywhere specific?"</p>
<p>"Through it's red eye."</p>
<p>"Alright. That is all I will ask for now."</p>
<p>Arata let out a loud sigh of relief. He slumped in the bed, grunting slightly.</p>
<p>"You still need to rest. I did forget to ask this earlier, but do you remember what the bear did to you?"</p>
<p>Arata froze.</p>
<p>His mind began to replay the horrible scene.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>
  <em>When he came to, he was standing in a completely white and padded room. Like one from a mental institution. He widened his eyes and attempted to move, causing a jolt of pain to emerge from his abdomen.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>That's right, he was still injured. He just remembered passing out in the infirmary. But where was he now?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He hauled himself to his feet. He groaned in pain. He could feel something in his throat. He turned his head to the side and spat it out on the ground.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Blood.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Great. That's reassuring. Not really.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"<strong>Rise and shine! You've got a great punishment ahead of you!</strong>"</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Arata was immediately on guard when he heard the high pitched voice.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"What the hell do you want?!"</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"<strong>Oh nothing~! Just your unforgettable demise.</strong>"</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Arata widened his eyes as panels on the walls began to open. They revealed many more versions of the creature that he had encountered earlier that day.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"<strong>I just wanted you to become a bone for my Monomutts to chew on.</strong>"</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>One by one the 'Monomutts' began to stalk into the padded room. They slowly began to surround the boy. They snarled and snapped at him. One of them let out a mechanical howl and the others leaped at Arata.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The next few minutes was all a blur to him. He remembered claws and teeth, blood.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>So much blood. The entire room was stained with his blood.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>(....Just like then....)</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He ended up falling unconscious once more. When he woke up the next time, it was due to the pain of losing air.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>His eyes shot wide open and he began to grasp at his neck, discovering that there was a rope around it. He also discovered that his feet were no longer on the ground.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>'Alright. Don't panic. It'll hurt more if you do. Just do what you did last time.'</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Arata grabbed two ends of the noose and pulled himself up only a little bit. He ignored the screaming pain from the various wounds on his body. He had to live.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"<strong>Too stubborn to die huh?</strong>"</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Arata looked down and discovered Monokuma was standing below him, next to a growing pile of his blood. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"I won't...die...especially not....to the likes...of you...cause you....took my...family....from me...."</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He could barely force the words past his lips.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"<strong>Family? You mean the Pretty Little Liar? Why still care about a murderer like her?</strong>"</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>There was a loud banging sound, as of someone had thrown a door open.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"MONOKUMA!!!"</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"<strong>Oh! Looks like our friends are here! Well, it's punishment time!!</strong>"</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Monokuma hopped to the other side of the...curtain?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Why was there a curtain? Where were they?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>A few moments of muffled talking later, the curtains slowly began moving to the sides. He could barely make out a few voices. The blood on his scalp was dripping in his eyes, preventing him from seeing.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"A-Arata...-chan....?" </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Haru</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"A-Arata-k-kun?!"</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Riku</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"What on earth...Katsune-san?"</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Kichino?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Why did he sound worried about him?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"He's still alive!!!"</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Looks like they finally noticed.</em>
</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Kichino nodded once Arata finished telling his story.</p>
<p>"I see. You have suffered a lot have you not? Hmm, that's admirable."</p>
<p>Arata raised an eyebrow.</p>
<p>"Thanks...I think."</p>
<p>"That was not a compliment."</p>
<p>"That makes more sense."</p>
<p>The two simply sat in silence. They remained staring at each other with an unbreaking gaze. The tension on the room was soo thick that you could cut it with a knife.</p>
<p>Then the door opened.</p>
<p>"Am I interrupting something?"</p>
<p>Sara stood in the doorway, looking very annoyed at the presence of Kichino.</p>
<p>"No. What do you want? It is still twenty minutes until your turn."</p>
<p>"I know, but I have a feeling that you don't want to be here that long. So do us both a favor and leave." Sara deadpanned.</p>
<p>Kichino sent Sara a death glare before he slowly exited the room. The door slammed shut behind him.</p>
<p>"How's your neck? Is it still sore?"</p>
<p>Arata displayed a looked of confusion after hearing the question. He reached up with his hand to touch his throat, and found that it was surrounded by bandages.</p>
<p>"Wha-"</p>
<p>"The rope burned your neck. I don't know how you managed to avoid the gallows but I guess that's just an extra that comes along with the Survivor Kit." She smirked.</p>
<p>He smiled weakly and raised an eyebrow.</p>
<p>"Don't think I've ever heard you tell a joke before."</p>
<p>"Should I not do that?" </p>
<p>"No no, it's fine. It's just strange to me."</p>
<p>Sara looked off to the side.</p>
<p>"I get that a lot...." she murmured.</p>
<p>Arata sensed the sadness in her words. He quickly tried to shift the topic.</p>
<p>"Thanks for saving me. I would probably have been dead if it wasn't for you. So...yeah thanks." He said.</p>
<p>"You probably would've lived. I just happened to be trying to get to the forth floor at the time." Sara interjected.</p>
<p>"Huh? Then why were you carrying a gun?"</p>
<p>"..."</p>
<p>"Sara-san."</p>
<p>"I don't feel obligated to answer that question right now."</p>
<p>"...okay then..."</p>
<p>Arata struggled to sit himself up again. He felt like his whole body was almost numb, yet he could still feel the pain.</p>
<p>"Also, can I ask a question?" Sara said suddenly.</p>
<p>Arata tilted his head slightly to the side.</p>
<p>"Go for it."</p>
<p>"Your eye. The right one. Why is your iris red? It doesn't look like it's contacts or anything. It looks like genuine blood is making up the color of your eye. Not to mention the circle that looked like it was branded around your eye." She said.</p>
<p>"Thats from...the facility..." he murmured.</p>
<p>"What?"</p>
<p>"It's nothing. Don't ask again." He snapped.</p>
<p>Sara looked slightly taken aback by Arata's sudden outburst. She watched as he made sure that his hair was still covering the scarred part of his face.</p>
<p>"Listen...I really don't care what you look like." Sara said.</p>
<p>"That's nice. That's not the reason I'm covering it up."</p>
<p>"Alright then."</p>
<p>"Are you not gonna ask why?"</p>
<p>"Didn't you tell me not to?"</p>
<p>"Yeah but I didn't think that you would actually do it."</p>
<p>Sara sighed. She rested her chin in her hands.</p>
<p>"When do you think Haru-chan is gonna be done with my clothes?" Arata asked.</p>
<p>"I don't know. I'm not her."</p>
<p>"Are you always this sarcastic?"</p>
<p>"I could ask you the same thing." Sara shot back.</p>
<p>"Fair enough."</p>
<p>Silence consumed them once again.</p>
<p>Then the door opened.</p>
<p>"Shinobu-kun, do you know wher-...oh, hello Sara-kun. Isn't this supposed to be Shinobu-kun's shift?" Ren asked</p>
<p>"Yeah. But I took the rest of his shift and kicked him out. I'm pretty sure he wasn't helping Arata-kun's mental state." Sara mused.</p>
<p>Then Ren looked towards Arata, seemingly just having noticed that the boy was awake.</p>
<p>"Ah, I'm glad you're alive, Arata-kun. Riku-chan did everything in his power to keep you alive. He had to transfer some of the bagged blood from the refrigerator into your system as well. I hope you're feeling better." The botanist said.</p>
<p>Did Riku really do all that for him? Welp, that's the Ultimate Assistant for you.</p>
<p>"If you see him, tell him that I'm grateful for his help." Arata said.</p>
<p>"Ren-kun, what did you come in here to ask Shinobu-san?" Sara asked.</p>
<p>Ren suddenly widened his eyes.</p>
<p>"Ah yes. It's about Hideshi-kun. He's been missing since the morning." Ren said.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Go to my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47 if you want to see a better version of this story. Or if you wanna rp with one of these characters.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. What Is Dead Will Never Die</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hideshi looked around in confusion. He heard a soft click as the door shut behind him automatically. He finally began to take in his surroundings.</p><p>(A computer table with multiple cameras and other buttons and gadgets. It seemed to be a control room of sorts. Nearby, was a large circular window)</p><p>When Hideshi reached the widow. He took a long look outside. </p><p>Nothing could have ever prepared him for what he saw outside.</p><p>"Wha....what...where is..."</p><p>He was at a loss for words. The look in his eyes could be described with only one word.</p><p> </p><p>It was gone.</p><p> </p><p>..</p><p> </p><p>...</p><p> </p><p>....</p><p> </p><p>It was all...gone....</p><p> </p><p>.....</p><p> </p><p>......</p><p> </p><p>So....everyone killed to get out...into a world that was nothing but desolate wasteland...</p><p> </p><p>.......</p><p> </p><p>.........</p><p> </p><p>No, he had to keep moving. This was no way to live. They couldn't stay trapped in here forever. He...he had to do something. Anything. </p><p>'<em>Don't worry big brother. I'll escape from here and find you at Hope's Peak Academy. I promise. We never break our promises.</em>'</p><p>-</p><p>"Remind me again why I should care that he's missing?" Sara deadpanned.</p><p>Ren sighed. He can't say he wasn't expecting this response.</p><p>"I'm aware that he isn't well liked-"</p><p>"That's an understatement."</p><p>"Still. I'd at least like to know his whereabouts." Ren said.</p><p>"Fine. Did you ask anyone else yet?" Sara caved.</p><p>"Yes. They all said they didn't see him. Where do you think he could be. I checked his room but he wasn't there either." </p><p>That's when Arata decided to chime in.</p><p>"Did you check the fourth floor?" </p><p>Ren shook his head.</p><p>"According to was Sara-san told us, it's not safe to go up there." </p><p>Arata nodded and pinched the bridge of his nose. He was getting such a terrible headache that it was becoming hard to focus. </p><p>"Arata-kun? Are you alright?" Sara asked, noticing his strange movements.</p><p>"Y-Yeah...I just...my head is really hurting...so maybe I should...rest....more..." Arata trailed off as his vision promptly went black.</p><p>He fell unconscious.</p><p>-</p><p>
  <em>Arata couldn't move. His body felt completely numb. He couldn't see anything either. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata was getting a strange sense that he's been here before. Wait, where even was 'here'? Was he dreaming? Then why couldn't he see anything. Well, he technically could see something but everything was blurry beyond recognition.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It took him a moment to register the bright figures moving in front of him. Was he on the ground?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"So...Arata-chan....can hear us...but...he can't....see us...?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>That voice. He knew that voice. He knew it better than anyone. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Yes. That is how it works. But we must not dawdle. We need to inform him of something."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Another familiar voice, but he couldn't put his finger on it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Yup! We got something super duper important to tell him! I think!" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Takara-san, can you be the one to tell him?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Alright."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He knew these voices. So why couldn't he place them?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Arata. We need you to listen. Hideshi is on the fourth floor, but the room that he's in is guarded by dozens of Monomutts. You need to be ready to fight them if you want to get to Hideshi."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He couldn't respond. He didn't know why these voices were telling him this.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"We'll be...watching over....you....Arata-chan...."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Arata-kun! You must bring everyone with you when you go to the fourth floor. You need as many fighters as possible to fend off these spirits."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"We're leaving everything up to you, Arata-chan! I'll be rooting for you till you make it!!" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Good luck...Katsune-san..." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"We know that you will lead the survivors to victory, young king. I will stay by your side till the day you advance past this tragedy. Farewell."</em>
</p><p>-</p><p>8:42 pm</p><p>Arata gasped loudly, sitting straight up in the infirmary bed. He looked around wildly, trying to gather his senses in the process.</p><p>"Oh, glad you're awake, Arata-chan!" </p><p>He snapped his head towards the sound of the voice and was met with blood red eyes.</p><p>"Hello, Haru-chan..." he greeted weakly.</p><p>"Are you feeling alright? You look like you've just seen a ghost!" The puppet exclaimed.</p><p>Arata mentally rolled his eyes. He still felt incredibly tired and just utterly spent. He laid back down on the bed, struggling to keep his eyes open.</p><p>"I'm sorry for not talking to you long. I'm just incredibly tired." He admitted.</p><p>"No need to apologize! We just want you to feel better so please take as much time as you need." The puppet reassured him.</p><p>Arata nodded. He closed his eyes. Soon, he found that he couldn't fall asleep. He didn't know how long he spent just laying awake with his eyes closed. </p><p>-</p><p>Haru though he was asleep. How did he know this? Because she started singing. Not in the puppets voice, but in her own. </p><p>Her voice was soft and gentle and held so much meaning. He didn't know how to explain it.</p><p>It was a song he had never heard before, but the way she sang it, it was like he had known it his whole life.</p><p>"<em>High in the halls of the kings who are gone</em></p><p>
  <em>Jenny would dance with her ghosts</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The ones she had lost, and the ones she had found</em>
</p><p><em>And the ones who had loved her the most.</em>"</p><p>Arata didn't recognize the song she was singing. But due to the tone, it sounded like a folk song. Or a lullaby perhaps. </p><p>He found that he was completely enchanted by her singing. Her voice was beautiful and delicate. It seemed to fit her perfectly.</p><p>"<em>The ones who've been gone, for so very long</em></p><p>
  <em>She couldn't remember their names.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>They spun her around on the damp old stones</em>
</p><p><em>Spun away her sorrow and pain.</em>"</p><p>Arata felt something tug at his heart. The way that Haru was singing this song. It's almost as if she was singing to someone.</p><p>He could feel the emotions in her singing.</p><p>"And she never wanted to leave, never wanted to leave.</p><p>Never wanted to leave, never wanted to leave."</p><p>Who was she singing to? Him, maybe?</p><p>"<em>They danced through the day and into the night</em></p><p>
  <em>Through the snow that swept through the halls</em>
</p><p>
  <em>From winter to summer and winter again</em>
</p><p><em>Till the walls did crumble and fall</em>"</p><p>Arata could hear her voice move up a bit. It must have been part of the melody.</p><p>"<em>And she never wanted to leave, never wanted to leave. </em></p><p>
  <em>Never wanted to leave</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Never wanted to leave</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And she never wanted to leave, never wanted to leave.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Never wanted to leave </em>
</p><p><em>Never wanted to leave</em>"</p><p>Her voice had dropped to its original low pitch.</p><p>"<em>High in the halls of the kings who are gone</em></p><p><em>Jenny would dance with her ghosts.</em>"</p><p>Arata could hear her moving towards him till she was right beside the bed.</p><p>"<em>The ones she had lost </em></p><p><em>And the ones she had found.</em>"</p><p>He felt Haru gently take his hand in her own.</p><p>"<em>And the ones who had loved her the most.</em>"</p><p>The song ended. He didn't know when, but he ended up falling asleep. That was probably the best sleep he's gotten in years.</p><p>——————————————————————</p><p>2:47 pm, the next day.</p><p>Arata awoke suddenly when a loud clattering noise rang in his ears. His eyes shot open and he was immediately sitting up. </p><p>Then the pain kicked in. It's like searing hot lava spread through his body all at once.</p><p>"Shit! Bad idea!" He hissed</p><p>Arata flopped back down on the bed. It creaked in protest. </p><p>Great. Now his entire body hurt again.</p><p>"Did I wake you up? That's my bad. I dropped the oxygen tank." Kotori apologized.</p><p>He turned his head towards the girl, who was now attempting to push the tank upright and barely succeeding.</p><p>"What were you doing with it in the first place?" </p><p>After finally getting the metal tank to sit up, she got to her feet and stretched her arms in the air. He could hear the sound of her joints popping.</p><p>"I'll tell you later. For now, you just need to focus on getting better. Also, are you able to stand yet?" </p><p>Arata could barely process the sheer speed in which Kotori managed to say three sentences. He pinched the bridge of his nose.</p><p>"I'm not sure. I haven't tried."</p><p>He watched as the Investigator looked behind him.</p><p>"Haru-san brought those this morning." </p><p>He turned to looked at what she was talking about. He was surprised to see his clothes folded neatly in a pile. They looked surprisingly normal.</p><p>Kotori turned on her heel and faced the wall. </p><p>"I'll wait for you to get changed. Tell me when you're done." She said.</p><p>As much as Arata appreciated the gesture, he wasn't entirely certain that he could move enough to get dressed.</p><p>-</p><p>Arata wheezed as he finished buttoning his dark blue blazer. His legs hung over the side of the bed, limply. Sweat dripped down his face.</p><p>"....done..."</p><p>Kotori turned around.</p><p>"Alright, are you able to stand?" </p><p>Arata simply shrugged. He casually slid off of the bed. When his feet hit the ground, he almost toppled over. After a string of silent cursing, he managed to finally steady himself. </p><p>The pain was slowly being pushed to the back of his mind. It was a special skill of his. After feeling constant pain, he could ignore it. </p><p>"Okay, can you walk?" </p><p>Taking a step forwards, his legs wobbled unsurely. He clenched his teeth and took a few more step. Still on his feet, Arata collapsed against the wall. </p><p>"Maybe we can have Atsu-kun carry you. He's done it before." Kotori said, thinking aloud.</p><p>Arata displayed a look of confusion.</p><p>"Carry me....where exactly...?" </p><p>Kotori seemed to be thinking about something, since she didn't answer his question immediately.</p><p>"Well, we were planning on exploring the fourth floor. But we need everyone there so that no one misses any information that we might gather." </p><p>Arata widened his eyes.</p><p>"Did you not learn? The Monomutts are patrolling that floor. If you try to go, you'll be hurt, or worse; killed." He said, firmly.</p><p>Kotori raised her hands up in surrender. An uncomfortable look was present on her face.</p><p>"Whoa, calm down. We knew about this. We're gonna have a few of us carrying weapons from the armory. A few of us know how to use a gun. We know where the Monomutts weak spot is." She explained.</p><p>He still wasn't convinced. This entire plan was rushed and most likely didn't have a very successful outcome. They could just end up being outnumbered and overpowered.</p><p>"When are you planning on doing this? How many people have agreed to join?" He asked slowly.</p><p>"We were waiting till you were able to move around. I figured that you'd give us the best chance of....survival..." Kotori trailed off when she realized what she was saying.</p><p>She cleared her throat and continued.</p><p>"So far, everyone agreed to this. Excluding Hideshi-san."</p><p>Arata raised an eyebrow.</p><p>"Even Shinobu-san?"</p><p>"Even Shinobu-san." She confirmed.</p><p>"Alright. Let's go then." He said.</p><p>-</p><p>~In the Armory~</p><p> </p><p>"Is everyone here? Good. Now, I need those who know how to operate a gun to stand near me." Sara instructed.</p><p>A few students moved to stand near Sara. Atsu, Kotori, Arata, and surprisingly, Haru. </p><p>Sara looked at the students and nodded.</p><p>"Each of you grab a close range gun and make sure it's loaded. Make sure to take extra ammo with you." </p><p>As those students followed her directions, the rest of the students waited patiently. Sara approached them.</p><p>"For you guys, you'll have to stand behind those with the guns. But since you can't shoot, you should bring a hand weapon. There's a lot in the other room. Try getting something that's long enough to keep distance between you and the Monomutts, in case they attack you and we can't stop them." </p><p>The remaining students walked off to the next room to get their weapons. </p><p>"Kotori-san! Put the grenade launcher back!" </p><p>-</p><p>They gathered outside of the armory. Ren was holding a spear and so was Riku. Kichino wasn't holding anything.</p><p>Atsu held a normal revolver. He made sure it wasn't cocked so that he wouldn't accidentally fire it off.</p><p>Sara was holding a normal pistol. She had it cocked back but she knew how to handle it. However, she kept it out of her own line of sight.</p><p>Haru was holding a magnum. Or, her puppet was holding it. The puppet also looked mildly disturbed to be holding such an object. </p><p>But it was more surprising to everyone that she knew how to shoot a gun in the first place.</p><p>Kotori held a glock. Mostly used by police officers, it wasn't a shock that she chose it.</p><p>Arata had a double barrel shotgun. Casual.</p><p>No one questioned why he had such a powerful weapon, mostly because they knew he was probably paranoid from being attacked before.</p><p>"Arata-san, if you aren't feeling up to it at any point, don't hesitate to take my shoulder." Atsu offered.</p><p>Arata shook his head and aggressively cocked the shotgun.</p><p>"I'll be fine. As long as I don't move around too much." </p><p>Atsu nodded unsurely.</p><p>-</p><p>What was different about the fourth floor? It was illuminated with light. When Arata had last gone up there, it was pitch black. </p><p>From where they stood, they could see two doors on opposite sides of the room. Arata recognized the wooden door that he had reached during his first trip up here. He never got a chance to open it before due to his unwanted company. </p><p>"Let's head towards the wooden door first." Arata said.</p><p>Sara nodded. She stood at the front of the group, slowly stalking forwards. Everyone was on edge. How could they not be? A threat could present itself at any possible second.</p><p>The group reached the wooden door and Sara turned the golden doorknob. She had her gun aimed ahead in case anything attacked in the room. </p><p>The first thing seen was darkness. It seemed like the light was off. Sara took a step inside and searched along the wall. Her finger hit a switch and the room lit up all at once.</p><p>(Inside the room, it was covered completely wall to wall in newspapers, maps, strings, letters, and everything under the sun. It was the like the room of a detective, trying to link events and crimes and people to one another. Even on the floor, there were papers scattered around, looking like they had been trampled but they also looked like they hadn’t moved in quite some time.)</p><p>Arata took a moment to scan the large room. Then he turned back towards the group and gestured for them to come inside. </p><p>The students filed into the large room and looked around in awe. </p><p>"What on earth...this looks like a detective’s room." Kotori observed.</p><p>The investigator pocketed her gun and examined the messy wall. Atsu made his way towards a different section of the wall and carefully plucked off what looked to be a newspaper headline. He slowly read it out loud.</p><p>"The Biggest Most Despair-Inducing Event in Human History."</p><p>(Underneath the headline was an image of a city, or, what remained of a city, as there was a huge crater in the center of it)</p><p>Everyone looked confused. Others looked horrified.</p><p>"Th-that can't be r-right...it's on-only been a f-fe-few weeks." Riku said, clearly as confused as everyone else.</p><p>Arata kept his eyes trained on one headline. </p><p>"It started at Hope's Peak Academy...They call them the Remnants of Despair. They initiated multiple, simultaneous terrorist attacks across the globe. Most of them originated at Hope's Peak Academy, but some of them came from Soaring Heights High School."</p><p>(Another image of a few blurred outlines of what they assumed to be the terrorists)</p><p>"Remnants of Despair?" Kotori echoed.</p><p>"Shinobu-san, I think you might want to take a look at this headline. It has your family name on it." Ren said.</p><p>As soon as he heard this, Kichino shoved past the students and snatched the newspaper out of the botanists hands.</p><p>"Shinobu Corporation has fallen. Not long after, The Togami Corporation follows. What on earth...are these lies!!!" Kichino crumpled the paper into a ball and launched it at the opposing wall.</p><p>"The Shinobu's can not have fallen. We are one of the most powerful family names in all of Japan! This room must be full of deceit!" The Luckster declared.</p><p>Everyone exchanged a few glances. No one knew what to do at a time like this. Then, someone stepped forwards.</p><p>"Kichino-sama, please calm down. You have to have faith in your family. I'm sure that they're alive! None of this can possibly have happened. How did this stuff get in here in the first place. The world was perfectly intact a few weeks ago!" Haru's puppet reassured him.</p><p>Arata couldn't comprehend the situation. If he recalled correctly, it's only been a few weeks since they were trapped here. Who put all this stuff here? There's no way that any of this happened in such a short amount of time. Right?</p><p>Surprisingly, Kichino continued talking to Haru. When did they get so friendly? </p><p>Arata was drawn towards Sara, who was staring at a large wall of pictures. Making sure she knew he was there, he approached her and stood next to her.</p><p>"Hey, what did you find?" </p><p>Sara remained quiet for a moment. Her hands were trembling. He could hear the gun in her hand rattling. </p><p>"Sara-san?"</p><p>"These....these are all....orphanages....and...children...." she whispered.</p><p>As soon as the words left her mouth, Arata was looking at the wall as well. It was scattered with tons of pictures of orphanages. They were either on fire, burnt, blown up, or in the process of being exploded. And next to those, were pictures of corpses. Children's corpses to be exact. They looked hideously mangled and or dismembered. </p><p>Something on one of the pictures caught his eye. Quickly, he tore down a picture of a mangled boys corpse. He saw the glint of a silver ring around the boys finger. </p><p>"...Ryuu....I'm so sorry..." </p><p>Sara looked over at him in confusion. </p><p>"Did you know that kid?" She asked, her voice trembling.</p><p>He nodded slowly.</p><p>"He was a kid at my orphanage. He always talked to me even when the other kids wouldn't. He's the reason I came to this school in the first place..." he trailed off.</p><p>Sara directed her gaze back towards the pictures.</p><p>"What happened? How could the world completely fall within a span of a few weeks? Everything was fine when I arrived...but then....I passed out at the entrance..." </p><p>"The same thing happened to me. I took a step onto the school grounds then I grew dizzy and lost consciousness." Arata said.</p><p>Kotori walked up behind the two, looking easily as shaken as the rest of them. </p><p>"I...I don't understand...these papers are dated with days that haven't even happened yet!" She exclaimed.</p><p>"I've seen, so far, some of them are from two years in the future." Sara shared.</p><p>"Is it possible that they were forged? Monokuma could have put them here to throw us off." Kotori suggested.</p><p>Arata looked back towards the wall. Newspapers, photos, letters, etc. It must have been a pain in the ass to forge everything in that room.</p><p>"That could be possible. But who would use this much effort to trick a bunch of high schoolers into thinking that the outside world is in shambles?" Arata asked.</p><p>"Probably so that they don't try to escape their killing game." Atsu cut in, approaching the group. He looked incredibly unnerved.</p><p>"Explain." Sara said.</p><p>"Oh uh...well Monokuma trapped us in here to make us kill each other, but he gave us the option to live here for the rest of our lives. He probably put these here to insure that we won't want to escape to the outside world. But these all look pretty real. I'm having a hard time figuring out whether or not they're fake." Atsu said.</p><p>"To be honest, I doubt anyone could stage something of this scale. Especially not in this short amount of time." Arata said.</p><p>"Everyone! I think something is trying to get in!!" Ren shouted, breaking everyone out of their shocked state.</p><p>Few of the kids grabbed their weapons. A loud thumping could be heard from the door, like something was indeed trying to break its way through.</p><p>"Everyone get ready. I'll try to take the first shot, but if I happen to miss, then you'll need to run!" Sara shouted.</p><p>She stood nearest to the door. Her eyes were screwed shut and her gun was aimed at the door. </p><p>On the other side, they could hear a loud and mechanical howl split the air. Then, metal claws bursts through the door then starting tearing it apart.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Go read this on my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47 for a much better version I beg of you.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Chapter 31</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ikanide - Japanese- meaning ‘don’t go’</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As the Monomutt burst through the wooden door, Sara fired her pistol at the first one that entered the room. Surprisingly, she hit it directly in the eye. The red eye dimmed momentarily before beginning to blink on and off, rapidly increasing. </p>
<p>Arata knew what was coming. </p>
<p>"Everyone! After you hit its eye, stay as far away from it as possible! It'll explode when it's down!" He shouted.</p>
<p>As if on cue, the Monomutt exploded. It wasn't a big explosion. Just enough that a few students had to move in order to dodge stray debris. </p>
<p>There was another mechanical growl and four more Monomutts clawed their way through the remains of the wooden door. So far, one thing was clear; they all intended to take out Arata.</p>
<p>All four of the Monomutts charged towards Arata while howling ferociously. Arata, however, didn't intend to lose this fight. He aimed his shotgun and shot one of them almost in the center of its eye. As it fell, the three remaining Monomutts took no notice to it. They charged forwards with dedication. </p>
<p>Sara spun around and fired a shot at the second Monomutt. The bullet went through the back of its head and out the red eye. It fell to the ground before promptly exploding. </p>
<p>He barely had time to react as he was busy reloading his shotgun. He closed the barrel and cocked it back. They were closing in on him and the aimed the gun towards them once more. He fired the shotgun, right into the third Monomutt's open jaw. This blew its bottom jaw straight off of its face, but it still charged towards him. </p>
<p>As if someone hit a switch, everyone moved to help him, while others moved away out of fear. Ren thrust his spear at the fourth Monomutt, impaling it through its abdomen and pinning it to the ground. As it struggled, Atsu aimed his revolver at the beasts exposed eye and shot. </p>
<p>Kotori aimed her gun at the injured third Monomutt and pulled the trigger, cocked it back again, and shot once more. The first bullet grazed the outside of its head, causing it to recoil. The second bullet hit its leg, momentarily immobilizing it.</p>
<p>This all gave Arata enough time to reload his shotgun and cocked it back once more. He aimed it at the Monomutt's eye and pulled the trigger. He hit the eye dead on. The Monomutt fell to the ground and blew up not a moment later. Arata ducked as a metal tooth nearly hit him square in the head.</p>
<p>"Jesus Christ. Why the hell were they only after me?" He asked, panting slightly.</p>
<p>For a moment, no one spoke. </p>
<p>"I'm guessing, Monokuma still wants you dead for breaking a school regulation, and escaping your punishment." Kotori answered.</p>
<p>"That bitch....." </p>
<p>Silence.</p>
<p>"Wh-What do we d-do now? If we-we stay then m-mo-more might c-come." </p>
<p>"For now, I think it's best if we call it a day. We already received a lot of information." Ren said.</p>
<p>"I will have to disagree. We have come too far to back down now. If you do not wish to continue, than you are more than welcome to leave on your own account." Kichino said firmly.</p>
<p>Ren nodded.</p>
<p>"Riku-chan, do you want to leave with me? I'd feel horrible if I wasn't there to protect you."</p>
<p>Riku gripped his spear tightly. It seemed like he was conflicted about leaving. </p>
<p>"I-I....I want to-to stay. There's m-more to fi-fi-find." He stuttered.</p>
<p>Ren smiled and nodded.</p>
<p>"I wish you all luck. Do your best." The botanist turned and left the room.</p>
<p>A moment of pure silence washed over the group. </p>
<p>"What'll we do? I'm at a loss. If the world outside is completely apocalyptic, than wouldn't we be better staying in this school?" Atsu asked, looking around.</p>
<p>"<strong>I do really wonder about that. Upupu~</strong>"</p>
<p>In a moment of mutual hatred for the bear, everyone that was holding a gun, raised it and pointed it in the direction of the mechanical animal. Monokuma jumped in surprise.</p>
<p>"<strong>Jeez! Calm yourselves! I'm just here to address someone!</strong>"</p>
<p>The students looked around at each other. Kichino finally spoke up.</p>
<p>"And whom might that be?"</p>
<p>Monokuma slowly turned his head towards the Ultimate Survivor. Arata could practically hear how Monokuma wanted him dead.</p>
<p>"<strong>Arata Katsune. The Ultimate Survivor. You're on my to-kill list. I'm serious when I say that you'll have to watch your back from now on. I'll do everything in my power to kill you myself.</strong>" Monokuma declared.</p>
<p>Arata sighed. Much to everyone's confusion, he slowly began to walk towards the supposed headmaster until he stood right in front of him. A grim smirk appeared on his face, immediately causing everyone to be uneasy.</p>
<p>"If I'm such a misfit to you, then I guess it doesn't mater if I break anymore rules. Therefore, goodbye." </p>
<p>Arata cocked his shotgun back in one fluid motion and shot Monokuma right in the red eye. The bear fell, then blew up, just like the Monomutts did.</p>
<p>Everyone stared at the survivor with an incredulous look. They can't believe that he did that! That was one of the first rules they were taught and he just blatantly ignored it. As he turned around, Arata noticed the eyes that were focused on him.</p>
<p>"What? I can't be the only one that's been wanting to do that." He said, smirking.</p>
<p>One by one, everyone in the room started laughing. Even Kichino was trying to hide the smile on his face. Arata glanced over at Haru. She was smiling. For some reason, that made him feel victorious. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, this moment didn't last long. Not a moment later, they heard a loud scream. </p>
<p>Arata was immediately moving.</p>
<p>"That came from the other side of this floor! The metal door! Come on!" He said. </p>
<p>They hurried towards the previously closed metal door. Ren was standing in the doorway, gaping at what Arata couldn't see. Arata pushed the botanist to the side and looked inside the room. </p>
<p>And what met him....</p>
<p> </p>
<p>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>.....</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>........</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>............</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Was....</p>
<p> </p>
<p>......</p>
<p> </p>
<p>.........</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A horrifying sight.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It took him a moment to comprehend what he was looking at. But before her could react, the monitors in the area flickered on, answering his question.</p>
<p>"<strong>A body has been discovered! Everyone please assemble in the observatory. All rooms will be unlocked for investigation purposes. After a certain amount of time, a class trial will be held. Now, investigate!</strong>"</p>
<p>When the screens flickered off, the remaining students stared at the unmoving body on the ground. </p>
<p>Hideshi Nakashima, The Ultimate....who knows, was dead. A throwing knife was protruding from his throat. His eyes were bloodshot and he looked like he hadn't slept in days.</p>
<p>"What the....Hideshi-san?...." Kotori was the second person to enter the room. </p>
<p>"What on earth is this room?" Kichino asked, completely ignoring any evidence of murder, he stepped into the room and gazed at all the monitors. He moved towards the large window. When he saw what was outside, he immediately clenched his teeth. </p>
<p>"Shinobu-san. What is it?" Arata asked. He walked up beside the Luckster and peered out the large window. Then, he understood. </p>
<p>(The fire. The smoke. The barren wasteland that lay outside of that school)</p>
<p>"Where....where is....everything....?" Atsu asked as he took the spot next to Arata and looked out the window.</p>
<p>The rest of the students took turns looking at the despair inducing scene of the outside world. </p>
<p>"So, then we were not being tricked after all. The world truly is in a state of devastation." Kichino mumbled. </p>
<p>He sounded tired. </p>
<p>"Everyone! We need to pay attention to the main task! Hideshi-kun is dead! Someone killed him! If you don't wanna die, then I think we should start investigating!" Haru's puppet said, breaking through the sullen mood. </p>
<p>Arata shifted his position. He weaved around the group of students until he was next to the body. Looking to the side, his eyes scanned the students for a certain someone. </p>
<p>"Kotori-san. We need you right now. Can you help?" He asked. Arata wasn't trying to sound impatient, he just didn't know what else to do in their current predicament. So he defaulted to his original objective: survive.</p>
<p>Kotori was slightly shaking.</p>
<p>"What's wrong?" Atsu asked the investigator.</p>
<p>She jumped slightly and looked around in a bit of a panic.</p>
<p>"I'm the Ultimate Investigator. Once again, I'm not a detective. I'm not used to seeing dead people so don't be surprised when I get scared from looking at a corpse." She explained.</p>
<p>Arata sighed and began to scan the crime scene.</p>
<p>"Haru-chan, do you think you can lend me a hand? I need someone to read the Monokuma Files." The Survivor said.</p>
<p>The ventriloquist's puppet looked surprised, as if it wasn't expecting Arata to choose Haru of all people to help him. But of course, she was happy to help him. After all, they were friends.</p>
<p>Haru used her free hand and pulled her Monopad out of her pocket. Using her puppet, she made it look like the puppet was the one scrolling around and tapping the screen. </p>
<p>"Here it is!" The object announced.</p>
<p>"Victim: Hideshi Nakashima</p>
<p>Cause of Death: Blood loss or loss of oxygen.</p>
<p>Body Was Found: In the observatory.</p>
<p>Other Information: Victim is malnourished. Seems to have not eaten in a couple days. Knife is lodged in the center of the victims throat. Hands were near their neck, indicating that they couldn't breathe before they died"</p>
<p>Arata raised an eyebrow.</p>
<p>"What about the time of death?" He asked.</p>
<p>The puppet looked like it was rereading the Monokuma Files, in case something was missed by accident.</p>
<p>"It's not here." </p>
<p>Arata rubbed his temples in aggravation. Of course it wasn't there. It's not like the the time of death would be incredibly helpful.</p>
<p>"It's a start. For now, let's just look around and see what we can find. I doubt there's anything outside of this room, so there's no need to search anywhere else." Sara cut in. </p>
<p>Arata nodded. They probably didn't have much time left. Monokuma was probably already mad about what he did in the other room, so he most likely shortened the time. </p>
<p>"Kotori-san. We could really use your help." Arata told the girl.</p>
<p>Kotori knocked her fist against her forehead, then looked to be mumbling something that no one could hear. Finally, she approached the body and began to examine it. While she did this, Arata walked back towards the window. As he looked across the destroyed landscape, Kichino took the spot beside him.</p>
<p>Arata glanced towards the other boy. They locked eyes for a moment, but Kichino was the one to break the gaze. However, he didn't miss the hint of sorrow in the Lucksters eyes. </p>
<p>"Arata-kun. Can you take a look at this please?" Sara asked, breaking him out of his concentration.</p>
<p>He nodded and walked over to the markswoman. She was standing on the desk, next to a black box on the wall. That was odd.</p>
<p>"What's that?" </p>
<p>"That's what I'm trying to figure out. It sounds like its hollow so i'm trying to get it open." she explained. Sara took another tug a the box and it finally relented. She almost fell backwards due to the sudden release, but she managed to stay steady. </p>
<p>Arata took this moment to take a look inside the newly opened box. He widened his eyes.</p>
<p>"The hell?"</p>
<p>Sara recovered from her near death experience pretty quickly and peered inside the box as well. Inside, there was throwing knives, lined up. They looked like the one that had been lodge in Hideshi's throat. </p>
<p>"Its a dispenser. Its designed to shoot these knives. But its usually triggered by something...." She trailed off as she looked around the box. Her eyes narrowed.</p>
<p>"I think I found it. This string is attatched to the inside of it." Sara said.</p>
<p>He finally noticed the thin silver string that went around the back of the box. It stretched further beyond that and effectively looped around the room until it stopped at</p>
<p>"The door?"</p>
<p>Sara followed him and knelt down beside the door. Her face seemed to lit up as she got an idea.</p>
<p>"Give me a minute. I need to try something." She said.</p>
<p>Walking out of the room, she shut the door behind her, leaving Arata mildly confused. Then, the door opened, and he finally understood. The string that was connected to the door, activated the dispenser and sent a throwing knife at Sara's head.</p>
<p>Before he could process the event, Sara's arm moved and she managed to catch the throwing knife before it hit her. </p>
<p>"It's a tripwire. Whenever someone opens the closed door, it will move the wire and launch a knife directly at the person who opened the door." She explained.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, everyone wasn't focused on what she was saying, since they were still trying to comprehend just how good her reflexes had to be in order for her to have caught that.</p>
<p>"How are you only the Ultimate Markswoman?" Kotori asked.</p>
<p>Sara shrugged. After setting the knife down, she turned to the rest of the group, smiling.</p>
<p>"The Ultimate Soldier was taken."</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Not even ten minutes later, the monitor flickered on.</p>
<p>"<strong>Alright you bastards. I'm getting 'bear'y impatient. Head on down to the gymnasium so we can get this trial started!</strong>"</p>
<p>"Huh? But we only had like twenty minutes to investigate!" Atsu said.</p>
<p>"I think that was intentional." Sara said, being the first one to leave. </p>
<p>Everyone followed after the markswoman. They soon ended out in the gymnasium. </p>
<p>Arata felt another wave of nostalgia pass over him. He looked around, confused, before shaking off the feeling. The elevator to the trial grounds opened.</p>
<p>Sara was the first person to step inside, then followed the rest. As the doors slammed shut, the elevator began it's decent. Everyone was already uneasy from everything that happened so far. No one spoke a single word on the way down.</p>
<p>The elevator jolted to a stop when it reached the trial grounds. One by one, they all filed out and went to their respective podiums.</p>
<p>In all honesty, Arata wasn't too confident about the outcome of the trial. But, he knew he had to live. Everyone that died before them....he would carry their hope out of this horrible killing game.</p>
<p>'<em>Hideshi Nakashima. He never told us what his talent was. Everything about him was one big mystery. He never told us anything about himself, but he wouldn't have trouble butting into other people's business. <br/>He had a natch for lying and was a very outgoing person. Unlike most people, he didn't seem to have a stable connection with his own emotions, causing him to be less sympathetic. Anytime he was challenged or spoke up against, he would retreat like a coward. Just to get him out of the bad light. He only managed to form a bond with one of the students, which is now deceased. </em></p>
<p><em>And someone in this room, killed him. I will make it out of here alive. I will survive for the sake of living and bring this killer down.</em>'</p>
<p>"<strong>Alright, lets begin with an explanation of the class trial. You all will debate amongst yourselves, using evidence collected during the investigation phase, to determine the culprit. The trial ends when the culprit - known as the "Blackened" - is uncovered, and ultimately executed. Now! Begin!</strong>"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0032"><h2>32. Mortal’s Greatest Enemy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>How many times has it been now? Four? Out of the sixteen students that woke up in this school, only eight of them remain. Over the time they spent together, they formed bonds and friendships, which only made it harder to let their friends go. </p><p>Arata really did wonder what they did to deserve this. Why were they in this inescapable shelter, forced into a killing game, while the outside world was in shambles? As far as they knew, they were the only people left. The world outside looked utterly destroyed. It had only been a few weeks since they set foot in Soaring Heights High School. How could society fall in such a little amount of time?</p><p>Everything about this seemed wrong. Even if they did manage to escape, would it be worth it? Would the outside world be any better than what they were going through now? Perhaps it would be better if they stayed in the school...</p><p>'<em>No. I'm not staying. I'm done being a prisoner. Even if life outside is gone, that doesn't mean we can't survive out there. With our ultimate talents, we could survive.</em>'</p><p>With his eyes full of determination, he was ready to start this class trial.</p><p>"They say that security is mortal's greatest enemy." Ren said, breaking the silence.</p><p>"How does that apply to any of this?" Sara asked, confusion evident in her voice.</p><p>Ren simply smiled weakly.</p><p>"L-Let's start." Riku said, trying to push them forwards.</p><p>"I wanted to know something. How did someone manage to kill Hideshi-san if he was in that room? If someone entered, he definitely would've noticed." Atsu stated.</p><p>"That's what I was wondering as well. There was no one in that room with him. How could they have killed him?" Kotori wondered aloud.</p><p>Arata took a moment to think.</p><p>"If I remember correctly, Kazuhiko-san was the first one to discover Nakashima-san's corpse." Kichino pointed out.</p><p>Ren widened his eyes.</p><p>"Wait, I didn't kill him. And it's too early to place the blame." Ren protested.</p><p>"Y-Yeah, we still ha-have the en-entire case to g-go over." Riku backed him up.</p><p>"Agreed. Save your accusations till we're done going over the evidence, Shinobu-san." Arata said, glaring at the Luckster.</p><p>Having sensed the tension, Kotori decided to speak up.</p><p>"We know how he died. Obviously it was the knife in his neck, but we need to figure out how it got there." She started.</p><p>Arata perked up. Knowing what the possible answer was, he opened his mouth to speak. Unfortunately, someone else beat him to it.</p><p>"I know how it got there. Arata-kun. You know what I mean, right?" Sara directed towards the boy.</p><p>Arata nodded.</p><p>'<em>How the knife ended up in Hideshi-san's throat.</em>'</p><p>"<strong>I got it!</strong>"</p><p>"When Sara-san was looking around, she found a dispenser that was filled with throwing knives. It was facing the door and would have a direct hit at anyone walking in." He explained.</p><p>"A dispenser?" Kotori echoed.</p><p>"Something that shoots whatever objects are put inside it." Sara informed.</p><p>"So...someone had like...a remote or something?" Atsu asked. "So they could activate it, right?"</p><p>Sara shook her head. "There was a wire connected to the dispenser. If it were tripped, it would activate it." </p><p>"The wire was connected to the door. After Sara-san tested it, we confirmed that opening the door would set off the dispenser." Arata continued.</p><p>"Th-then how did H-Hideshi-kun manage to-to activate i-it if he was a-already in-ins-inside the ro-room?" Riku wondered aloud.</p><p>Haru's puppet suddenly jumped up.</p><p>"I got it! If there really was a wire connected to this dispenser, the Hideshi-kun probably activated it accidentally! Maybe he tripped over it" It suggested.</p><p>"<strong>No, that's wrong!</strong>"</p><p>"I don't think that's right, Haru-chan. It's almost impossible to accidentally trip the wire. It was lined up along the wall and it wasn't in anyone's way." He said.</p><p>"It's true." Sara confirmed.</p><p>The puppet looked like it was momentarily frozen in place. It's mouth hung open. Haru looked indifferent.</p><p>As he began to speak again, he got a surprise.</p><p>"<strong>Hear me out!</strong>"</p><p>"Wait up! We think we have an idea!" The puppet said.</p><p>He didn't know what to expect from this.</p><p>
  <strong>[Start]</strong>
</p><p>"Alright! Listen to this! It might not have been an accident, but maybe it was on purpose. Hideshi-kun killed himself on purpose!" The puppet said</p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"He faced the dispenser thing and triggered the wire!" </p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"He's always been weird so we don't really doubt that he was trying to make a mystery." </p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"If he did do it on purpose, then how did he trigger the dispenser? Once again, the wire was nowhere near where we found him." Arata rebutted.</p><p>"That's easy! He threw something at the wire!" The puppet said.</p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"It triggered the dispenser and ended his life!"</p><p>'<em>He threw something?</em>'</p><p>"<strong>Allow me to cut through that contradiction!</strong>"</p><p>
  <strong>*Break*</strong>
</p><p>"Haru-chan. He couldn't have thrown something. The wire was against the wall. Throwing something wouldn't have been effective enough. Besides, we didn't find anything on the floor that could have been used as a projectile." Arata said.</p><p>The puppet drooped sadly.</p><p>"Aweee..." </p><p>"So all we know is that Nakashima-san was hit with a knife that was triggered by the door opening. That does not get us much of anywhere." Kichino scoffed.</p><p>"If he had opened the door one time, and survived, then he probably would've been fully aware of the trap." Kotori mumbled.</p><p>"How did he even get in there in the first place? A room like that looked like it'd be locked up tight." The puppet mumbled.</p><p>"Monokuma. Answer me this. How was Nakashima-san even able to get to the observatory? Was it not being guarded by Monomutts? We found no weapons he could have used to fend them off." Kichino said.</p><p>"<strong>Upupupu~ Curious, are we? Well, I decided to give a random student a key that would unlock any door in the school. I programmed my Monomutts to stand down when they see the key. And regarding the observatory, I'm glad it went to an interesting student. Although, that little brat managed to reset the power to the school. Fortunately, I got it back online.</strong>" </p><p>Everyone looked confused and shocked.</p><p>"So that power-outage that happens when we found Arata-san, it was because of Hideshi-san?" Atsu asked, incredulous. </p><p>"<strong>You bettcha!</strong>"</p><p>Arata look off to the side. If what Monokuma said was true, then that means Hideshi indirectly saved his life. If the power hadn't reset at that exact moment, he would've been killed.</p><p>"Why did he lock himself in there? He had a look outside and cameras around the whole school. That would've been incredibly useful." Kotori mused.</p><p>"Ma-Maybe that was t-the reason w-wh-why." </p><p>All eyes turned towards the Ultimate Assistant.</p><p>"What do you mean?" Arata asked.</p><p>Riku adjusted his glasses and took a deep breath before speaking.</p><p>"If he-he saw what w-was outside, maybe he d-did-didn't want u-us to see i-it." </p><p>Everyone displayed their own looks of confusion.</p><p>"Might I remind you that this is Hideshi-san that we're talking about." Sara said sharply.</p><p>The assistant winched at her cold tone.</p><p>"I think I know what you mean, Riku-chan. Hideshi-kun must've not wanted us to see what the outside world looked like. Perhaps it was a way to preserve our hope of escape. This is why he locked himself in there. So that we couldn't find out the truth. Unfortunately, I assume he didn't know about the room that we came across that had information of the outside world." Ren said, placing a hand over his heart.</p><p>"Once again. We are talking about Hideshi-san. I don't remember him ever caring about anyone's wellbeing besides his own." Sara snapped.</p><p>"As much as I hate to interrupt, we are steering quite far from our original topic. We need to determine who killed Nakashima-san." Kichino cut in. </p><p>"Yeah, I agree. Does anyone have anything to move us forward?" Arata asked.</p><p>"This might not move us forwards, but I'd like to share something that I noticed." Kotori said.</p><p>Arata nodded for her to continue.</p><p>"When we found Hideshi-san, the knife was in the direct center of his throat. It was lodged in there pretty deeply. From what I can gather, he was facing directly towards this dispenser thing when it went off." She continued.</p><p>"Do-does that me-me-mean he knew th-that he was g-going to get hi-hit?" Riku questioned.</p><p>"I think so, but it's just something I noticed. It might not be as relevant as I think. So let's continue." She said.</p><p>"We still don't know the time of death. It wasn't written in the Monokuma Files!" Haru's puppet exclaimed. </p><p>"That's true, but let me ask something. Ren-kun. You were the first one to find Hideshi-san's body right? What did you see when you opened the door?" Kotori questioned.</p><p>Ren ran his hand through his light blonde hair. Taking a moment to think before answering.</p><p>"When I opened the door, I saw Hideshi-kun fall onto his side. Before I could see if he was alright, I noticed a puddle of blood forming around his head. That's when I yelled for help." The botanist said.</p><p>"So that means that you were the one to trigger the dispenser." Arata accused.</p><p>"A-Arata-kun!" </p><p>He looked towards Riku with an unbreakable gaze. </p><p>"What? I'm just saying what I think." </p><p>Riku flinched and recoiled slightly. </p><p>"If Ren-san saw Hideshi-san falling, then that means Hideshi-san was hit when Ren-san opened the door. In short, he was alive before Ren-san opened the door." He simplified.</p><p>"I see.." Kotori murmured.</p><p>"Ma-maybe he was a-already dead. He co-could've been l-lea-lean-leaning aga-against the d-door." Riku suggested.</p><p>"And that's why he fell when Ren-san opened it?" Atsu asked, receiving a reluctant nod from the assistant.</p><p>"But that still doesn't answer how he managed to get killed. We know his cause of death and if he was already dead and leaning against the door, that had to mean he had been hit with a knife already." Sara said.</p><p>"I doubt he managed to open the door, get hit in the throat, enter the room, and close the door behind him. Nevermind leaning against the door and dying while still standing." Arata pointed out.</p><p>"This is quite confusing." Ren said.</p><p>"Kazuhiko-san. Answer this. If you were the first to discover Nakashima-san's body, then why? Did you not leave us while saying that you were going to leave that floor?" Kichino asked.</p><p>Ren looked slightly taken aback, but he managed to regain his composure and provide him with an answer.</p><p>"Ah, I remember now. When I left the room, I noticed that the other door was ajar. I believe I saw Hideshi-kun looking back at me. When he saw me, he closed the door. Out of curiosity, I went and opened the door. When I looked inside, I saw Hideshi-kun fall to his side. I believe you know the rest from there." He said.</p><p>"Why didn't you tell us that earlier? That would've been a huge help." Sara hissed.</p><p>"If Ren-san is telling the truth, then Hideshi-san was alive before Ren-san opened the door. I guess we have our time of death, for now." Arata said.</p><p>Something about this didn't seem right to him. He somehow knew he was on the right track but his gut was telling him that something was off.</p><p>"Why was he facing away from the door? If he had just closed it, wouldn't he be facing towards it?" Atsu asked.</p><p>"From the looks of it, he was hit in the center of his throat, but the knife was slight positioned to the right, even though Hideshi-san was lying on his left side." Sara shared.</p><p>"I think that means he was moving when the knife hit. He was moving left, but why was he moving left and facing towards the dispenser? That's an incredibly weird way to move." Kotori said.</p><p>He was moving to the left and facing towards the dispenser. He knew the trap was there, and he probably knew that Ren was going to open the door. So that means...</p><p>"<strong>This is it!</strong>"</p><p>"Correct me if I'm mistaken, but do you think it's possible that Hideshi-san purposely got hit by the knife?" Arata said.</p><p>"Do you really think so?" Haru's puppet asked.</p><p>Sara growled in annoyance.</p><p>"This is Hideshi-san that we're talking about. Since when would he willingly save a life in exchange for his own?" She asked.</p><p>"I'm not saying it happened, but I'm saying we should consider it." He countered.</p><p>What he had received was an icy glare from the other girl. And a look from someone that can shoot a gun, is incredibly intimidating.</p><p>"I don't think we should." </p><p>"Sara-san."</p><p>The trial was engulfed in silence. They two students stared at each other. The tension in the air was thicker than ice.</p><p>Then the ice was broken.</p><p>"<strong>Your aim is all off.</strong>"</p><p>He had expected this.</p><p>"Arata-kun, I'll have to correct you. This is not a game." Sara said, sharply.</p><p>
  <strong>[Start]</strong>
</p><p>"You are implying that Hideshi-san jumped in front of the knife to save Ren-san."</p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"But, anyone that knows Hideshi-san, knows that he probably had an ulterior motive."</p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"He knew Ren-san would open the door. Jumping in front of the knife could've been a quick attempt to get Ren-san executed."</p><p>*Miss*</p><p>"I never said he was trying to save Ren-san. I'm saying that we should consider it. And I doubt that Hideshi-san could've thought up a plan like that in the short amount of time that occurred between when he saw Ren-san." Arata advanced.</p><p>"Then he was planning it."</p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"He could've been waiting for someone to leave the room, and lead them into his trap."</p><p>*Miss*</p><p>"He had been missing for a few days. That was more than enough time to plan something like this."</p><p>*Strike*</p><p>"He obviously never cared about any of us in the first place."</p><p>"<strong>I'll cut down your words!</strong>"</p><p>
  <strong>*Break*</strong>
</p><p>"I understand why you think that, but please listen. Hideshi-san wasn't the best person, but he has proved that he does care at times. Like with Samuru-san." Arata said.</p><p>"That still doesn't prove anything. Unless you have actual evidence, then I won't believe you." Sara stated.</p><p>This wasn't good. This topic didn't even have to do with the murder anymore. But his gut was telling him that he needed to convince everyone that Hideshi would sacrifice himself to save someone else.</p><p>Arata took a deep breath. Even though his mind was screaming at him, he had to trust himself.</p><p>'<em>The truth...is here...</em>'</p><p>[Perjury]</p><p>"I do have evidence. I never told anyone this, but after the third trial, he came to talk to me. He wanted to thank me for revealing the truth. He also said he was sorry that Yuu-chan had to die." Arata said, his voice wavering in order to make it seem like he didn't want to talk about it that much.</p><p>Almost immediately, he was given a look of sympathy by the markswoman. </p><p>"I see...." </p><p>"Katsune-san. How do we know if you are telling us the truth?" Kichino asked, his voice laced with suspicion.</p><p>Before he could answer, he was once again beaten to it.</p><p>"I trust his word." Sara said.</p><p>Arata locked eyes with the girl.</p><p>"After all, he's gotten us this far, so he has no reason to lie." She continued. </p><p>He could sense some nostalgia in her voice, but he didn't know why.</p><p>"I do not get the point if this. We have already figured out that Nakashima-san got himself killed." Kichino grumbled.</p><p>"By jumping in front of the blade, he technically commit suicide." Kotori said.</p><p>"Man....this is all just...so messed up...!" Atsu exclaimed, anxiously running a hand through his hair.</p><p>"Tell me about it..." Haru's puppet said quietly.</p><p>"If Hi-Hideshi-kun commit su-sui-suicide, the w-who ar-are we supposed to v-vote for?" Riku asked.</p><p>"I suppose we could still vote for Hideshi-san, but something about this seems wrong." Kotori said.</p><p>"Are we even allowed to still vote for Hideshi-kun?" Haru's puppet asked.</p><p>No one knew the answer. </p><p>"Monokuma, can you please provide us with an answer?" Ren asked the bear, who at this point, was looking quite bored.</p><p>"<strong>Well, since you asked so nicely, You are indeed allowed to vote for the victim if you think that they are the blackened.</strong>" Monokuma informed them. </p><p>The mechanical bear was holding what looked to be a tropical drink with a tiny umbrella in it. The cup was covered in floral print. Talk about exaggeration.</p><p>"Where did you even get that?!" The puppet asked.</p><p>"<strong>Hmm? Did someone talk to me? I could've sworn I heard a voice.</strong>" Monokuma feigned.</p><p>The puppet looked thoroughly saddened by this reaction.</p><p>"Awe....I'm being ignored again.....how mean...." It murmured, tapping its paws together nervously.</p><p>Once again, Arata felt himself cringing. </p><p>"So we can vote for Hideshi-san?" Atsu asked, receiving a nod from Sara.</p><p>"<strong>Hm. It seems to me like this is gonna be a short trial. It doesn't even look like there's gonna be a scrum debate! The readers aren't gonna be too happy about this chapter.</strong>" Monokuma monologued.</p><p>"Re-readers? Chapter?" Riku echoed in confusion.</p><p>"Let's continue. Are we going to vote for Hideshi-san?" Sara asked.</p><p>"I really want to say yes, but something still doesn't seem right about this." Kotori murmured.</p><p>He had to agree, something wasn't right. This was too easy. It wasn't much of a mystery. </p><p>"How about we go over the whole thing once more from the top?" Ren suggested.</p><p>Kichino raised his head.</p><p>"I am quite surprised to hear something remotely logical coming from your acquiescent mouth." The Luckster said, crossing his arms. </p><p>Kotori rolled her eyes and cleared her throat to grab everyone's attention. </p><p>"Arata-kun, I'll leave this to you." She said, looking towards the gray haired boy.</p><p>He reluctantly nodded. He just had to explain everything that they went over, from the top. Including his lie.</p><p>"<strong>Here's everything that happened in this case!</strong>" </p><p>"It all started a few days ago. When the fourth floor had opened up, I went up to investigate. Not knowing about the Monomutts, I was walking in enemy territory. I was attacked by a Monomutt and injured. I was saved by Sara-san, who was also coming up to explore the fourth floor. I don't remember much after that. I just woke up in the infirmary. During this time, Hideshi-san went up to the fourth floor in order to investigate for himself, and he managed to get into the observatory, using the key that he had. He had a monitor that displayed almost every area in the school. He never left that room. After I 'broke a school regulation' Monokuma was probably going to kill me. Coincidence or not, Hideshi-san managed to restart the power, allowing Monokuma to power down and you guys to save me. Then I was back in the infirmary.<br/>A day or so after, I was well enough to at least walk around on my own, so we all decided to explore the forth floor. <br/>That's when we found that weird room that had all the pictures and stuff. Maybe Hideshi-san saw us on the cameras or he heard the sounds that were made when we were fighting the Monomutts. He peeked out of the room and tried to see what was happening. Unfortunately, Ren-san noticed him when he was leaving. This cause Hideshi-san to close the door in a hurry. I'm guessing he forgot to lock it due to his panicking, and he must've momentarily forgotten about the dispenser as well. That is, until he saw that Ren-san was about to enter, out of heroism, or out of reflex, he leaped in from of the dispenser as Ren-san opened the door, taking the hit. This is why Ren-san saw him fall to the ground when he looked inside. Then Ren-san called for us.</p><p>And the person who killed Hideshi-san....was....Hideshi himself?" </p><p>He left off with mild uncertainty. This was all wrong, and he knew it too. </p><p>"Then I suppose we should begin the voting process." Kichino said, but something was off in his voice.</p><p>As he lifted his head, he locked eyes with the Luckster. For a brief and almost too quick to comprehend moment, his eyes flickered towards a specific person. Arata followed his gaze, and narrowed his eyes when he saw who Kichino was gesturing to.</p><p>"<strong>Are we ready to cast our votes? Then go on ahead.</strong>"</p><p>Everyone began to place their votes, but a few students wavered. One of them being Arata. His hand was froze in place. </p><p>If this was wrong, then everyone would die. </p><p>He had..to...live....on....</p><p>After much mental trauma, he managed to cast his vote. </p><p>A screen appeared with a slot machine. </p><p>"<strong>Who will be chosen as the blackened? Will it be the right one, or the dreadfully wrong one?</strong>"</p><p>The slot machine began spinning. Almost all at once, everyone in the room held their breath.</p><p>"<strong>Upupupu~ That's right everyone! I thought you were gonna be goners for sure! But you guys guessed correctly! Hideshi Nakashima, The Ultimate Enigmatologist, was killed by none other than Ren Kazuhiko, The Ultimate Botanist!</strong>"</p><p>
  <strong>[Case Closed]</strong>
</p><p>——————————————————————</p><p>For awhile, no words were spoken. The room was just riddled with despair upon despair upon betrayal.</p><p>Trust was something that everyone had a hard time with. One way or another. Whether they trusted others too much, or too little, it was always a problem.</p><p>Now, Arata didn't know much about trust. However, he knew that it meant a lot to others. But never in his entire life, had he felt so much betrayal in one room. </p><p>"Wh-What?!" Riku shouted, his eyes shooting wide open.</p><p>"What do you mean?! None of us voted for Ren-san!" Atsu argued.</p><p>"<strong>Upupu~ On the contrary, four of you voted for him. While four others voted for the victim. Normally, I'd execute both of them, since one of them is the killer, since it was a tie. However, one of them is dead. So that means he will be executed alone.</strong>" Monokuma said, looking incredibly smug.</p><p>"It appears that I was correct. Monokuma would not be satisfied with no execution." Kichino said, crossing his arms.</p><p>Arata gripped his podium. He knew what he had just done. He had voted for Ren. It saved them all but....not Ren....</p><p>"Wha-What?! This ca-can't be r-right! Ren-chan, d-di-didn't kill an-any-anyon-anyone!" Riku shouted. </p><p>"Sacrifices will be made, Riku-kun. I'm afraid this is the truth." Sara said, looking towards the boy.</p><p>"S-Sara-san? Why....I-I thought.....we-we were f-friends! All of u-us! We-weren't we a-all fri-friends? So wh-why would y-you put y-your f-fr-friend to-to death?!" Riku cried out. </p><p>He balled his hands into fists. Had he really been mistaken this whole time? Was no one actually friends with him? Somehow, he wasn't as surprised. All his life. He hadn't had a single friend. Not since...that day...</p><p>"Riku-chan." </p><p>As he heard Ren's voice, he turned around to face his companion.</p><p>"R-Ren-chan?" </p><p>Ren smiled weakly at him. However, something was drastically different about him. Nothing in his appearance, but the look of defeat in his eyes. He had....given up...?</p><p>"Perhaps it's time. If I really did kill Hideshi-kun, by accident or not, then I must be executed." The botanist said.</p><p>What happened next, was quite unexpected for everyone, including Kichino.</p><p>Ren began to cry. Yet, he was still smiling. He always seemed to make his smiles genuine. Tears slid down his face, one after another. This really reminded everyone that no matter what they had been through, they were still kids.</p><p>"I-I....I don't want to die....I wanted to get home....and see if my family was alright...and...I wanted to continue to be friends with everyone. But...It seems....that not everyone gets a happy ending." Ren said, clutching the fabric over his heart. </p><p>Arata clenched his teeth. Why did he do this? No, why did THIS have to happen? These rules weren't even fair anymore.</p><p>"Arata-kun."</p><p>He lifted his head as he heard his name. He was met with Ren staring at him through tearful eyes.</p><p>"You did good, Arata-kun. All of you did. You managed to guess the killer and now you can live. I hope you all make it out of here." He said, bowing his head.</p><p>"But...you didn't even mean to kill him...." Atsu said, his voice was much more quiet then normally. </p><p>"S-Stop it, Ren-chan! Y-You aren't a k-ki-killer!" Riku said, marching over to Ren's podium. </p><p>Ren sighed.</p><p>"It's alright, Riku-chan. You'll be fine without me." Ren reassured him.</p><p>Riku shook his head. Tears fell from his eyes. He looked like an emotional wreck.</p><p>"Pl-Please! I-I can't lo-lose anyone e-else!" Riku said, hugging Ren tightly. </p><p>Ren hugged him back. </p><p>"It's alright. Please don't cry. I'd down want to be the reason that you're sad." Ren said quietly.</p><p>Riku shook his head. He wiped his eyes, taking off his glasses first.</p><p>"Riku-cha-"</p><p>"PL-PLEASE DON'T LEA-LEAVE ME, R-RYO-CHAN!!!!!"</p><p>After that, the room was engulfed in uncomfortable silence. Riku finally realized what he had said and immediately pulled away from Ren. His face turned red and he lowered his head in shame.</p><p>"I-I...I me-mean...."</p><p>He didn't seem like he could find the words. Unfortunately, he wasn't given enough time to. </p><p>"<strong>Alright alright. Enough with this pitiful display. You all know what time it is!</strong>" Monokuma interrupted. </p><p>Arata's heart stopped. </p><p>"Wait! Can't we just have a little longer?" Kotori asked, her voice straining.</p><p>Monokuma looked like he was considering it.</p><p>"<strong>No way! You bastards already had enough time to say goodbye. I'm not making any changes to the schedule!</strong>" Monokuma said.</p><p>Riku approached Monokuma's throne and quickly dropped to his knees.</p><p>"I-I beg you! D-Don't Kill Re-Ren-chan! H-he-he didn't m-mean to kill Hid-Hideshi-kun!" The assistant said.</p><p>At this point, Riku was willing to throw away everything, including his dignity, in order to save Ren. </p><p>"<strong>Begging won't get you very far. The killer has already been decided. Now sit back and watch this despair inducing execution!</strong>"</p><p>Riku scrambled to his feet. </p><p>"N-no! Take m-me ins-instead!" He pleaded, desperately.</p><p>"<strong>Now then, I've prepared a very special punishment for Ren Kazuhiko, The Ultimate Botanist.</strong>" Monokuma began, completely ignoring Riku's desperate pleas.</p><p>"He's a-all I ha-have left!! I-I can't lo-lose the only fr-friend I ha-have!" </p><p>Arata could feel his own heart breaking. He remembered how he reacted to Yuu. He was ready to sacrifice himself for her, just as Riku is doing for Ren.</p><p>"<strong>Let's give it everything we've got. It's....PUNISHMENT TIME!!!</strong>"</p><p>"I'm sorry...Riku-chan..."</p><p>
  <strong>(Ren has been found guilty. Time for the punishment!)</strong>
</p><p>/////_\\\\\\///////_\\\\\\\//////_\\\\\\</p><p>
  <em>The blackened waits with a sad smile on his face.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>The room he was in began to shape itself. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Soon, he recognized that he was now standing in a greenhouse.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>A title flashed across the screen.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>'<strong>Greenhouse Galore</strong>'</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>The ground beneath him began rumbling, almost throwing him off of his feet.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Then, a green plant monster emerged from the ground, standing high above Ren.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Off to the side, Riku was determined to save his friend.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>He rushed into the execution, towards Ren.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Ren widened his eyes when he spotted Riku. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Unfortunately, the plant monster spotted him as well.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>The botanist called out to warn his friend, but it was too late.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>A large, thorny vine rammed into the side of Riku's head, effectively rendering him unconscious and flinging his glasses off of his face.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Ren ran towards the other boy.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>He dodged swinging vines and other obstacles until he reached Riku. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Blood dripped from Riku's head.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Ren whispered something and held the assistant in a tight hug, facing away from the plant monster.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>The monster raised another large thorny vine and sent it towards the two.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Ren felt nothing as the vine tore right through his body, and through Riku's as well.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>He wheezed weakly and collapsed, still hugging Riku. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>The light in his eyes faded slowly.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Their blood mixed together in a puddle underneath them. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Suddenly, a Monokuma dressed as a FBI agent appeared with what looked like a flamethrower.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>The Monokuma set the plant monster alight, then lost control of his weapon, setting everything in the greenhouse on fire.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Including Ren and Riku.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Then the monitor went black.</em>
</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>Arata was frozen in place. His eyes never once left the monitor that was showing the execution. His eyes were wide with disbelief.</p><p>"...Riku-kun....you idiot...." Sara said to herself, closing her eyes.</p><p>"<strong>Welp, serves him right. That's what happens when you interfere with an execution.</strong>" Monokuma said, frowning at the screen.</p><p>"I-Isn't...isn't that against the rules?" Kotori asked.</p><p>"<strong>Nope!</strong>"</p><p>"What on earth was that boy thinking? He could barely keep himself alive, so what gave him the thought that he could save someone else?" Kichino asked, looking indifferent.</p><p>"Shinobu-san." Arata called out.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Shut up." </p><p>Instead of protesting, Kichino merely looked annoyed, but he stayed silent. </p><p>"<strong>Alright, you bastards. As much as I'd love to see more of your despairingly long faces, I have to get to clean up duty. Head for the elevator before it leaves you behind.</strong>" </p><p>After that, Monokuma disappeared. </p><p>-</p><p>As they headed towards the elevator, Kichino disappeared momentarily before being the last one on the elevator.</p><p>The metal doors slammed shut and they began to ascend. The only sounds they heard were from the elevator. </p><p>Arata felt a something claw at his heart. Each time they leave the trial grounds, they slowly fell deeper into despair. Everyone.</p><p>When they found Sora's body. The fear that most of them felt, knowing that one of their classmates had actually murdered someone. No one felt safe. Everyone was suspicious.</p><p>After the first trial, they left without Theo. The Ultimate Thespian always seemed to lighten the mood at times. But he was dead. Because he murdered Sora.</p><p>And when they found Kanon's body. The horrific sight of it made everyone disgusted. How could a student murder another in such a way?</p><p>Then, after the second trial, they left without Yami. The Ultimate Exorcist had been deceived by her own mind. Thinking that what she was doing was for the greater good. But it wasn't. And she seemed to realize that before she was executed.</p><p>Later, they found Koharu's body. They had already been hit pretty badly by the motive. Atsu seemed to react the worse to finding Koharu dead. It was clear the two had once known each other well, outside of the school.</p><p>And when they found Yukio's body. To say they were shocked would be an understatement. They were horrified by what they saw, thinking the killer was some deranged and sadistic psychopath. But it wasn't.</p><p>After the third trial, they left without Yuu. This had hit Arata the hardest. She had killed Yukio out of self defense when he had tried to kill her. She hit her head when she ran away, so she ended up forgetting what happened. Which only made it worse when she remembered. </p><p>And then when they found Hideshi's body. No one really knew how to react. It was all so....sudden. </p><p>And finally, now. They were leaving without Ren and Riku. The two that had grown attached to each other since the beginning, and till their very end.</p><p>A voice broke the silence, catching everyone off guard.</p><p>"I thought....he was brave...."</p><p>Everyone turned towards the Ultimate Ventriloquist. Each of them, except Arata, looked equally shocked. They've never heard her real voice till now. </p><p>She was looking up now. For once, Arata could see her whole face. And, he could see the sorrow in her crimson irises.</p><p>Everyone knew who she was referring to. Riku Akinari, that Ultimate Assistant. Without giving a second thought about this own life, he ran into Ren's execution. But this courage was the death of him. </p><p>But somehow....maybe that's what he wanted...</p><p>"Yeah...I think so too...." Atsu said, sending a smile towards Haru.</p><p>She simply lowered her head again. </p><p>-</p><p>Arata made his way to the boys dormitory. He hadn't been in that room in a few days. </p><p>The recent events made him forget about his wounds, which is why he cursed when he flopped down on his bed, feeling the searing pain shoot through his body.</p><p>But that was the least of his worries right now. Wounds will heal, but they'll leave scars. </p><p>That's just how it is....</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0033"><h2>33. And Icarus Looked Straight At The Sun As He Burned</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"<strong>Good morning, everyone! It is now 7 a.m. and nighttime is officially over! Time to rise and shine! Get ready to greet another beee-yutiful day!</strong>"</p><p>Arata groaned in pain as he forced himself to sit up. His body ached terribly. Somehow, his bed was a lot more uncomfortable than he remembered it being. </p><p>His body shook as he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. Glancing around the room, he confirmed that he was alone. </p><p>That's strange. He could've sworn...no. He has to focus. After struggling to get out of the bed, he managed to get to his feet. </p><p>Alright. Step one: get up. Check. Step two: get to the cafeteria for breakfast. </p><p>-</p><p>Sixteen Ultimate students. Whittled away till only six remained alive.</p><p>As he walked through the empty hallways towards the cafeteria, Arata felt like he was reliving a memory. But nothing came to mind when he tried to figure out which one. </p><p>Entering the cafeteria, he wasn't surprised to see that he was the only one there. Out of instinct, Arata looked towards the glass wall that separated the indoor garden from the cafeteria. Part of him wanted to see Ren there, gathering up flowers to place on the desks of their deceased classmates. </p><p>However, he did not see Ren. Instead, he was shocked to see Sara moving around within the indoor garden. How odd.</p><p>When he entered the garden, Arata was close enough to see that the markswoman was carrying something. Multiple things, actually. </p><p>Before he got a chance to ask her what she was doing, she was staring right at him.</p><p>"Why are you here?" She asked with such an intimidating tone of voice that it had managed to catch Arata off guard for a second.</p><p>"I was going to ask you the same thing. But I'm here because I saw you here." He answered. </p><p>Sara's body seemed to relax slightly and a look of brief guilt flashed across her face. </p><p>"...I'm...sorry...I'm just...on edge I guess." She admitted quietly. </p><p>Arata took his time, carefully approaching the girl. </p><p>"We all are. Especially after what happened." He said, firmly.</p><p>Arata glanced down to look at what the markswoman was carrying in her arms. He blinked in surprise. </p><p>They were flowers.</p><p>"I know what you're thinking. Can I at least explain what I'm doing and why I'm doing it?" She requested.</p><p>He nodded. He didn't have any reason or right to object after all. </p><p>"My mother...she used to be a florist. She taught me lots of things about flowers and their meanings. I think she called it the 'Language of flowers'. I've noticed how you and Ren-san would pick out flowers that resembled the students who died. And...since Ren-san isn't here to do it, I thought I probably should." She finished.</p><p>Arata could tell that she was uncomfortable due to the the way that she shifted from one foot to the other. He also found it creepy that he had figured that out. </p><p>"I'll help. I went with Ren-san each time he placed the flowers. So I'll go with you too. But I'll only ask for one thing." Arata started.</p><p>Sara raised an eyebrow.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"When we drop them off, can you tell me what each of them mean?" </p><p>Sara looked momentarily confused by this request. She slowly nodded her head. </p><p>"I...finished gathering the flowers when you came in. Do you want to go now?" The blue haired girl asked. </p><p>Arata nodded. He allowed a small smile to rest on his face, and she gave him one in return. The two students turned and headed out of the indoor garden and towards the boys dormitory.</p><p>-</p><p>When they arrived at the dormitory, Sara looked at the doors.</p><p>"I'm just realizing that this is the first time I've been in the boys dormitory. I don't really know where anyone's rooms are." The girl stated.</p><p>Arata scanned the doors until his eyes landed on one of them. He turned back towards Sara.</p><p>"Let's start with him. I know you don't like him, so let's get him out of the way first." He said. Instead of waiting for a response, he was already headed towards the door.</p><p>Sara blinked in surprise. After a moment of hesitation, she followed after the survivor. Just like Arata, Sara almost never places her trust in anyone. That's just how it's always been for her. </p><p>They soon entered Hideshi's former room. She glanced around, taking note of how messy the room was. The bed was completely messed up and many things were out of place.</p><p>"Where do I put them?" Sara asked the boy. </p><p>"Here. At least we know they won't fall off." He responded, gesturing to the desk beside him.</p><p>She nodded and walked up to stand next to him. </p><p>"Do you...still want to know what they mean?" She asked. He nodded. </p><p>The markswoman sighed in response and set down the bundle of flowers that she was holding. After riffling through them, she pulled out three and set them down on the desk, a bit carelessly. </p><p>She cleared her throat. When she glanced to the side, she noticed Arata was looking at her expectantly. She shifted uncomfortably and began talking.</p><p>"Um. This one. It's called a snapdragon. I don't know much of anything about the flower itself. But I recall being told that it symbolized deception."</p><p>Arata looked at the colorful plant. It definitely fit Hideshi well. He truly wasn't everything that he seemed to be. </p><p>"When I first met Hideshi-san, I was trying to get all the students to head towards the gymnasium. It was mostly so that the entrance ceremony could start. I found him with Yuu-chan. He refused to tell me his talent. But at the end of the trial, I noticed that Monokuma let slip what his talent was. The Ultimate Enigmatologist. Do you know what that means?" Arata asked, turning towards the bluenette. </p><p>Sara took a moment to think. </p><p>"Enigmatology. If I'm right on this, it's the study of puzzles. Or more specifically, the study of the science of puzzles." </p><p>This took him slightly by surprise. However at the same time, it made sense. Hideshi always did seem like he was up to something. </p><p>"Want me...to do the next one?" </p><p>He nodded.</p><p>"Okay...um...this one...it's called Monkshood. I think it has another really long name, but I don't know it. From what I remember, this translates into a phrase. Something only the lines of 'a deadly foe is near'."</p><p>'<em>It doesn't sound quite right, but I probably shouldn't say anything. I'd be best if I just left her do it since she knows more than I do.</em>'</p><p>The deep violet color didn't seem to match Hideshi at all. Then again, Arata didn't know much of anything about him. </p><p>"And the last one?" He asked.</p><p>"That one...it's an Astilbe. This one I believe also translates to a phrase. I think it's 'I'll be waiting for you'." </p><p>"Wait. 'Astilbe'? Is that it's actual name? Sounds like someone wasn't really trying when they named it." He pointed out, looking at the colorful plant.</p><p>Sara shrugged.</p><p>"I guess not. But I suppose they couldn't have all of them sound professional. Otherwise no one would care." She responded, gathering up the other pile of flowers in her arms.</p><p>She looked towards Arata.</p><p>"I'm probably asking this a bit too late, but are you allergic to pollen?" </p><p>Arata tilted his head to the side, slightly confused by the sudden change in subject.</p><p>"No."</p><p>"Ah, that's good then I guess..." She murmured, mostly to herself. </p><p>As she was starting to leave the room, she realized that Arata wasn't following her. Looking back, he was just staring down at the flowers on the desk.</p><p>"Arata-kun. Are you coming?"</p><p>He raised his head and looked towards her. She received a hesitant nod and he followed after her. </p><p>Without uttering another word, they both left, closing the door behind them. </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p>
  <em>He looked down at the flowers on his former desk. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Was this really what they thought about him? </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Deception.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A deadly foe is near.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>That wasn't him. He was just....trying...to be himself. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>But it's just like it's always been. No one understood him. He really should've stopped being surprised a long time ago.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But it still hurts.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Knowing that no matter what he did, he would still be the villain. Of course he was the villain.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It definitely wasn't the robotic plushie that forced them into this killing game in the first place!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Good luck...I guess...this puzzle will definitely be solved.....without...me...." </em>
</p><p>——————————————————————</p><p>"So...where to next?" Sara asked, looking towards the survivor for guidance. </p><p>"Why don't you choose? Which one of them did you like the most?" Arata offered.</p><p>Sara sighed. She turned and looked back forth between the two students rooms. She finally setting on one.</p><p>Riku Akinari</p><p>"How about him? He seemed like the easiest to talk to." She mumbled.</p><p>Arata nodded. He moved forwards and opened the door. They remained unsurprised by how neat and tidy the room was. It was like he had barely touched a single thing. Which was probably the case.</p><p>"Were you ever close to Riku-san?" Arata asked out of the blue.</p><p>Sara shook her head as she stood by the assistants former desk.</p><p>"Not really...we just....talked a few times. He was a nice kid. The world could use more people like him." She said absentmindedly. </p><p>She set down the bundle of flowers of picked out another three. She placed them next to each other on the desk and they scooped up the remaining ones in her arms.</p><p>"You still want to know about them?" </p><p>"Yes. I suggest not asking anymore because the answer will always be yes." Arata said.</p><p>She nodded.</p><p>"The first one there. It's a red spider lily. From what I know, they only grow in Japan. Normally, it symbolizes death. But my mother once told me that it translates to 'I look forward to meeting you again'. I'm...not sure why I choose this one for him....I just thought....he'd probably say something like that..." </p><p>He had seen this flower before. It used to grow in his 'grandparents' garden. He remembered watching his grandmother planting them when they were just buds. </p><p>"You okay?" Sara asked, noticing the distant look in Arata's eyes.</p><p>He nodded and cleared his thoughts.</p><p>"Yeah. You can continue." He said.</p><p>Sara looked hesitant to do so but soon she began talking again.</p><p>"I think this one is called an Alstroemeria. It has another name, but I don't remember it. It's said to symbolize devotion and friendship..so...yeah."</p><p>Arata blinked at the plant. It was definitely eye catching. </p><p>"Sounds like him." Arata mumbled, mostly to himself.</p><p>Sara nodded in agreement.</p><p>"I didn't really know much about him. But I could tell that he was loyal, almost to a fault. I'm not sure why he said Ren-san was his only friend..." he continued, looking off to the side.</p><p>"Do yo-"</p><p>"Yes." He cut her off almost immediately.</p><p>He took note of how she flinched when he answered. Deciding that it was for the best, he didn't point it out.</p><p>"Okay. The last one here...is a primrose. It...it was my mothers favorite flower. It translates to 'I can't live without you'. I think you can assume why."</p><p>"Primrose, Huh? I've heard of it before, but I wasn't aware of the meaning. Then again, I know close to nothing about flowers." Arata said.</p><p>Sara turned and was beginning to leave the room, but just like last time, she saw that Arata wasn't following her.</p><p>"Are you coming?"</p><p>He raised his head slightly.</p><p>"Can you give me a moment? I need to...do something..." Arata said. His tone of voice indicated that he didn't want to say anything else about it, so she nodded in response.</p><p>She left the room and waited outside.</p><p>Arata glanced over the flowers on the desk.</p><p>"You never really gave yourself much credit, Riku-san. You were stronger than you know. When I first met you, I assumed that you would be one of the first ones to go. I couldn't have been more wrong....i...underestimated your strength." Arata placed his hand on the edge of the polished wooden desk.</p><p>Riku was definitely a strange kid, but that didn't make him weak. He was probably the bravest out of anyone there. Sacrificing his life so that he could see his friend one last time. That's far from weakness. It's loyalty.</p><p>His hand gently slid off the edge of his desk, and went back to his side. As he was turning to leave, he muttered one final thing.</p><p>"I also look forward to meeting you again, Riku Akinari." </p><p>-</p><p>
  <em>He watched silently as the survivor left his room. Those last few words really sent him over the edge. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Us-useless...I'm s-so useless...I'm so so-sorr-sorry..ever-everyone...I..."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His words came to a halt as he felt a hand on his shoulder. As he turned around, he couldn't believe what he was seeing.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"T-Tsurugami-sensei!?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Long time no see, Riku. Although, I'm a bit saddened by how little time it took for us to reunite." The former teacher said, offering a sad smile.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Riku couldn't hold it in anymore. Just hearing her voice sent him over the edge. He burst into tears and hugged his former teacher tightly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Whoa. Take it easy. I'm not going anywhere. And neither is he." She said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Riku raised his head and gave her a confused look.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"H-He?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Did you forget about me already, Riku-chan?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He froze as he heard the voice. He knew that voice. He knew it better than he even knew his own voice.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"R-...Ryo...-chan...!!" He wailed.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His former childhood friend looked just like he had when Riku last saw him alive. Having said that...</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Wow...you got really tall...huh?" The boy asked.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Riku quickly wiped the tears from his face. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I-I...I gue-guess so...." he responded.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He'd never been so happy before. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Alright, we don't have much time here. Me and Ryo have to leave." Tsurugami said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Riku widened his eyes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Wh-Why?!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"It's...hard to explain...but you aren't allowed to leave here yet, Riku-chan. You still have something to do." Ryo explained quietly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"So-Something to d-do?" He repeated.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You'll figure it out. I know you will. Now go find that friend of yours. You two make quite the pair." Tsurugami said. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>In a flash of light, she was gone. Ryo remained for a moment longer.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You...you were always better...at making friends...." he mumbled. Then he was gone.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Riku stared at the spots where they once stood. A heavy sighed escaped from him as he adjusted his glasses.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He had to find Ren now. Whatever it is that they had to do, they would do it together.</em>
</p><p>——————————————————————</p><p>Ren's door opened with a quiet squeak of the hinges. The botanist's former room looked...about as they had expected. It was slightly messy but it appeared that Ren had attempted to keep his room clean, but was very bad at it.</p><p>The two approached the desk. Sara set down the remaining flowers on the surface.</p><p>"When I met Ren-san, I thought he was some simpleminded idiot....I was really wrong." Arata muttered.</p><p>Sara side glanced him for a second then returned her gaze to the flowers.</p><p>"Weren't we all wrong? About everything?" She asked.</p><p>Arata shook his head.</p><p>"Not all of us...."</p><p>He trailed off, letting his words settle.</p><p>Sara said nothing. She reached forward and pointed at the first flower, or more specifically, the first plant on the desk.</p><p>"This is a cattail. I used to see them a lot during my childhood, like in marshes and stuff. I was told that they're supposed to symbolize peace."</p><p>"A cattail? I've never seen one in person before." Arata said, staring at the plant.</p><p>"You haven't? Haven't you ever passed by a marsh or a swamp before?" She asked.</p><p>"Yes. But I never cared enough to look for them." He explained.</p><p>"I see...I guess I can't blame you..." </p><p>Arata glanced over at Sara, and when he did, she quickly averted her eyes and motioned to the next flower.</p><p>"Erm, this one is a sweet pea flower. From what I know, it's used to say goodbye to someone. It means farewell."</p><p>"Such a delicate sounding name. What made you choose this one for him?" Arata asked.</p><p>She hesitated before speaking.</p><p>"Nothing really special. I just chose it because it sounded like something he would say." She muttered.</p><p>He nodded.</p><p>"I agree. He definitely would've said something like that." The survivor spoke quietly. He cleared his throat. "And the last one?"</p><p>Sara looked towards the final flower.</p><p>"Oh, it's an Azalea. If I remember, it translates to a sentence. I think it was 'take care of yourself for me"</p><p>Arata nodded.</p><p>"I just...felt like he was telling us that...before his execution..." Sara mumbled. </p><p>The markswoman turned and began to leave the room.</p><p>"I'll be waiting out here." She said.</p><p>Before he could call out to her, she was already out the door. A small but sad sigh escaped from his lips.</p><p>Arata returned his gaze to the desk.</p><p>"Ren-san...how many times have we done this? I don't remember....but you were the closest thing I had to a friend every since Theo-san was executed. You cared so much about everyone....but...you never got anything in return. Kudos to you for being one of the strongest people in this killing game..."</p><p>Arata turned and headed towards the door.</p><p>"Tell Riku-san that I said hi." </p><p>The door closed behind him with a gentle click. </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p>
  <em>He watched the survivor leave with a smile on his face.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Ah, I'm glad that you saw me as a friend, Arata-kun. I'm honored to be your friend." He said, holding his hand over his heart.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"A-Ah! Ren-chan!" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He looked up and smiled brightly as he saw his friend standing in front of him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I've been waiting for you, Riku-chan. I'm glad that you made it here safely." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>His friend almost tackled him in a hug. The sobs that his friend made broke his heart.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Ah...please don't cry, Riku-chan...nothing can hurt you anymore. I'll make sure of it." He reassured him. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Another thought popped into his head.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"...and by the way, Arata-kun said hi." </em>
</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>"Sara-san? You didn't have to wait out here for me." Arata said, closing the door behind him.</p><p>"I'm aware. I just...wanted to...I guess..." she said.</p><p>Arata narrowed his eyes as he picked up the way her voice was trembling slightly. He carefully moved forwards and glanced past her curtain of blue hair. His suspicions were confirmed as he saw the tears that trickled down her cheeks.</p><p>"Sara-san...what's wrong...?"</p><p>She wiped her eyes quickly with her arm. </p><p>"I-It's nothing..."</p><p>"It can't be nothing if you're crying. You never even cried during the trials. Tell me what's wrong." Arata said. Instead of his normal cold persona, his voice held a sympathetic and knowing tone.</p><p>Sara turned towards him and that's when he got a good look at her face. Her eyes were red and puffy from her crying and her tears dripped down her chin. The expression on her face could only be described by pain and sadness. </p><p>He reached out to lay a comforting hand on her shoulder. </p><p>However, instead, Sara moved forwards and hugged him tightly, catching him completely by surprise. His eyes were wide as he stared at the markswoman.</p><p>Not really knowing what to do, he cautiously hugged her back.</p><p>Arata was never a person of comfort. He wasn't someone that people would go to for moral support. More like someone people would go to if they need to hide a body or get some secret organization off their trail.</p><p>"Sara-san...what's wrong?" He asked.</p><p>For a moment, it seemed like she wasn't going to answer.</p><p>"...I-I...I don't...understand...why...why do you have a will to move on....when you've lost everything....?"</p><p>For the second time, Arata was caught off guard. But this time, he managed to speak his thoughts.</p><p>"Everything? I don't understand what you mean. I haven't lost everything." </p><p>Sara pulled away from the hug and stared at him through teary eyes.</p><p>"But you have. Whatever happened in your past, that made you have the title of Ultimate Survivor. And everything that's happening now. Why do you still move forward? Do you just not care about those who lost their lives?" Sara asked, wiping her eyes.</p><p>Arata clenched his teeth. It pained him to know that there was truth in some of her words.</p><p>"At first, I didn't care about anyone. I just cared about myself. I shut out other people, thinking that they wouldn't survive because they weren't me. I was selfish. I still am. When Theo-san died, it opened my eyes to the reality of the situation that we've been put into." He said, taking a deep breath before continuing. "For me, it was always every man for themselves. I'm sure that we have a similar way of thinking."</p><p>"But do you really want to know why I keep moving forwards? It's because I have hope. Hope that we will make it out of here alive. Hope that the world isn't completely destroyed. Hope that everyone here can find their families again. Hope that I carry on my shoulders, that once belonged to our classmates."</p><p>Sara widened her eyes.</p><p>"Hope? Is that really what moves you forwards? I never really believed in hope. It was just a lost cause. It'll just fall under the infectious despair." She murmured</p><p>"I thought the same way. But if despair really is contagious, then I'll just need to infect everyone with my hope. Even if life outside is a void of despair, I'll keep marching on." Arata spoke firmly.</p><p>He froze as he heard a weak chuckle escape from Sara's mouth. </p><p>"You really are a hero...huh?" She asked.</p><p>Arata shook his head.</p><p>"I'm not a hero. Hero's don't kill people." He said.</p><p>"Maybe. But you know, Arata-kun..." </p><p>Sara turned away from him and began to make her way to the exit of the boys dormitory. She stopped right before she walked out the door.</p><p>"...being a hero, doesn't always mean saving a life." She said.</p><p>Then she was gone.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0034"><h2>34. All Things Precious Must Hang By Threads</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>6:32 pm.</p><p>Arata stared up at the clock on his wall. He had unknowingly been watching it for the past five minutes now. </p><p>'<em>....I need to distract myself...</em>'</p><p>He stood up from his desk and pushed the chair in. A shiver ran down his spine as he felt the familiar feeling that he wasn't alone.</p><p>Whipping around, he scanned the room. Nothing out of the ordinary. So why did he still feel like someone was watching him?</p><p>'<em>...I'm probably just overthinking things...maybe I should go check on some of the others.</em>'</p><p>As he came to his decision, he walked out of his room to see if anyone was nearby. </p><p>Thankfully, he didn't have to go far before running into Atsu outside the dormitory. Quite literally in fact.</p><p>The two boys collided but surprisingly, neither of them fell. They just remained staring at each other for a moment.</p><p>"Sorry...I guess I wasn't looking where I was going..." the swindler said, clearly still spaced out.</p><p>"Don't apologize. I don't think I was paying attention either." Arata said.</p><p>Another bout of silence passed between them. He decided to break it.</p><p>"Do you....want to talk?" The Survivor asked.</p><p>Atsu looked slightly startled by this question. After a little, his confusion turned to amusement. The smaller boy began to chuckle very softly.</p><p>Arata raised an eyebrow in response. </p><p>"What's so funny?"</p><p>"Oh, nothing! It's just....I never though I'd that you'd be asking me to hang out." Atsu explained.</p><p>A small, almost unseen smile appeared on Arata's face for a split second before disappearing.</p><p>"Well you were wrong. Now do you want to talk or not?" He asked.</p><p>Atsu nodded.</p><p>-</p><p>The two boys sat down in the cafeteria. Although it wasn't time to eat, Arata thought it would be a good place to chat.</p><p>"So...how are you holding up...?" Arata asked.</p><p>Atsu tilted his head to the side in confusion.</p><p>"...sorry...I'm not the best conversationalist." Arata explained.</p><p>A weak chuckle left the swindlers mouth.</p><p>"It's alright, man. It's just...Monokuma was in my room earlier. When I tried to ignore him, he started talking to me like we were friends and...."</p><p>"And?" Arata questioned.</p><p>"He....he called me by a nickname. But....I'm probably overthinking this. He called me 'Atsu-chin'. He sounded like he didn't mean to say it too." Atsu continued.</p><p>"What exactly was so strange about that?"</p><p>"...only one person used to call me that...but...."</p><p>Arata frowned when the other boy trailed off again. Why did he sound so hesitant and unsure of himself? Was it because Monokuma was probably listening? </p><p>"Who?"</p><p>"...it was...Koharu-chan...but...she's dead...so I don't know if he's trying to mock me or something...." Atsu choked out. </p><p>The swindler began to fiddle with the large metal ring on his finger. </p><p>"I see. There's something else that I was wondering. Were you and Koharu-san friends before meeting here?" Arata asked.</p><p>Surprisingly, but not really, Atsu nodded.</p><p>"Yeah...we were childhood friends. We used to rely on each other way too much. But, over the past few years, since her mother was institutionalized, she's been distant and doesn't want to talk to me. When we figured out we were going to the same school, she told me to pretend like we didn't know each other. She said the same thing at the start of this killing game too...." Atsu explained.</p><p>Arata nodded as he took in the information. He didn't know what it was like to have a childhood friend, but he couldn't help but remember how devastated Atsu had been when they discovered Koharu's corpse. This backstory explained why his actions were so desperate.</p><p>"So that why you reacted like you did. You wanted to expose your childhood friends killer." Arata said.</p><p>Atsu nodded absentmindedly.</p><p>"I..I wanted to know who took her life. Cause the Koharu-chan I know wouldn't go down without a fight. I was actually...kinda relieved... to hear that there had been evidence of a struggle. A part of me is glad to know that she gave everything she had in her last moments." Atsu said, looking down at his hand.</p><p>Arata didn't take long to notice the ring that the other boy had been constantly staring at throughout the conversation.</p><p>"What's that?" He asked.</p><p>Atsu looked up at him, tilting his head to the side.</p><p>Rewording his question, he tried once more.</p><p>"What's the ring? You've been staring at it for awhile now." He pointed out.</p><p>Atsu followed the survivors gaze down to the silver ring on his own hand. He smile.</p><p>"Ah, it's an old present from Koharu-chan when we were younger. I got her a necklace from my pawn shop. She got me this ring when she went on an adventure with her mom. So...it's kind of...all that I have left of her..." Atsu said. </p><p>Arata sighed. He couldn't take much more of this any longer.</p><p>"Atsu-san. You're only making it worse. You're remembering things about her that you miss. But you need to think what she would tell you in this situation. Would she want you to spend all of your time mourning, or would she want you to escape from this place?" Arata asked, leaning back in his chair.</p><p>Atsu didn't look up at Arata. He just remained silent as he stared down at the ring on his finger.</p><p>"Just...think about it..." he said, slowly getting up from his chair.</p><p>As he made a move to leave, he heard Atsu finally speak up.</p><p>"Hey, Arata-san. You're a real nice guy, y'know. You seem to care a lot more than you let on." </p><p>Arata turned his head back towards the swindler. Unconsciously, a weak smile appeared on his face.</p><p>"Can't say I haven't heard that before." He mumbled. </p><p>Nodding his head at Atsu, Arata left the cafeteria.</p><p>—————————————————————</p><p>7:12 pm.</p><p>As Arata approached the library, it became clear that there were already people inside the room. </p><p>But something else became clear as well: They were discussing something important. The hushed voices have that away. Also, The second that Arata stepped into the room, the voices stopped dead in their tracks.</p><p>"Why are you here, Katsune-san?" Kichino asked, narrowing his eyes in suspicion as he glared at the newcomer. </p><p>"I could ask you the same thing, Shinobu-san." Arata retorted coolly.</p><p>"Hey! No fighting! Kichino-kun, Arata-chan can join us if he wants to!" Haru's puppet spoke up.</p><p>Both of the boys looked ready to protest but one look from the ventriloquist made them shut up immediately.</p><p>Soon, Arata realized that both of the students were staring at him skeptically.</p><p>"Um....is something wrong?" He asked.</p><p>Kichino glanced towards Haru then back at the survivor.</p><p>"Answer us this, Katsune-san. Have you been having dreams since waking up in this school? Dreams that seem so real, that it is almost like they are?" The Luckster asked, crossing his arms.</p><p>Arata froze. There it was again. He felt that same chill down his spine. What did they mean by 'dreams'? Of course he's been having dreams since waking up here. They all felt so real. </p><p>It wasn't almost like they weren't dreams at all but....memories....</p><p>"We'll take that as a yes! Now, can you tell us what you remember from your dreams?" The puppet asked.</p><p>Arata looked down at the ground in contemplation. What did he dream about?</p><p>"The first one....it was about Theo-san...and some kind of play. Sora-san, Haru-chan and Kanon-san were there as well. The next one....was about Yuu-chan. Everyone was there. We were locking ourselves in a classroom...." Arata said.</p><p>He decided that it was best to leave out his most recent dream about Yuu and Yukio. No one else was in that dream but them, so they wouldn't understand.</p><p>The puppet on Haru's hand tapped its paws together nervously. </p><p>"Oh no....I had those dreams too....this can't be a coincidence..." The puppet mumbled, looking  quite frazzled.</p><p>"If this is true, then what does this mean?" The Luckster asked no one in particular.</p><p>That's when a new voice decided to speak up.</p><p>"It means, that we must have known each other before this killing game started." </p><p>The three students turned towards the library door where Kotori stood.</p><p>"That can't be right. We just arrived at this school for our first year about a couple weeks ago. We didn't know anyone when we woke up." Arata argued.</p><p>"That's true, but think about it this way: Each of us remember entering the school and then waking up afterwards. We had just assumed that maybe a day or two passed since we fell unconscious. But I think that's not the case." Kotori began slowly as she approached the small group.</p><p>"And what makes you say that?" Kichino asked.</p><p>"The room we found on the fourth floor. It looked like somebody had spent years in there, trying to analyze 'The tragedy' that struck while we were locked up in here. I took a look at one of the newspapers and the date was two years ahead of when I last saw the date." Kotori said.</p><p>"So that means....that someone is bad at printing?" The puppet questioned.</p><p>"No. It means that that this 'Tragedy' did not happen so recently as we thought." Kichino concluded.</p><p>Kotori nodded.</p><p>"Wait, So that means that....we've been asleep for...two years?" Arata asked.</p><p>"Yes, but no. It means that our memories of our time in Soaring Heights High School, have been erased." She said.</p><p>The entire library went silent. </p><p>But it didn't last long as another voice spoke.</p><p>"I read something in the weird room. It said that Hope's Peak Academy was going to be converted into a shelter. Do you think it's the same for us?" Sara asked, leaning against the doorframe.</p><p>Behind her, Atsu stood there silently.</p><p>"It's possible. When we first arrived, Monokuma said something about this being an 'inescapable shelter'. Maybe we were locked in with the intention to protect us." Kotori agreed.</p><p>"I suppose we can tell how well that went." Kichino grumbled.</p><p>"So...if we were supposed to be locked in here to keep us safe, why were we forced into a killing game?" Atsu asked.</p><p>The Ultimate Swindler looked utterly wiped out. It was quite pitiful.</p><p>"Maybe someone tricked their way in. They wouldn't have let in someone random if it's a locked shelter. Maybe they were here the whole time." Arata mused.</p><p>"Wait, does that mean....it's was one of us?" The puppet asked.</p><p>"I would not be entirely surprised if someone here is the mastermind." Kichino spoke darkly.</p><p>"Hey...let's not place the blame on anyone. We have to work together." Atsu interrupted.</p><p>"We most certainly do not." </p><p>"Come on, man...."</p><p>"Do not refer to me like that." </p><p>Arata rubbed his temples in annoyance. They weren't getting anywhere by arguing.</p><p>"<strong>You lot seem to be having fun. Your little conspiracy theories about your lost memories are defiantly fun to listen to.</strong>" </p><p>Everyone looked equally annoyed by the mechanical bears sudden appearance. </p><p>"I don't suppose that you'll be willing to tell us what has happened since we walked into this school." Sara said, staring at Monokuma.</p><p>Monokuma tapped his chin, seemingly thinking about it.</p><p>"<strong>I'm afraid I won't. But, since you all have made it so despairingly far into this game, I'll be willing to give you a little hint. You will all be able to escape, BUT, you must be willing to leave your killing school life behind.</strong>"</p><p>They must be willing to leave their killing school life behind? What on earth did that mean?</p><p>"What are you talking about?! We're all ready to leave this hell behind!" The puppet exclaimed.</p><p>Monokuma's red eye seemed to flash brighter for a moment.</p><p>"<strong>Upupupu~ it seems you don't get it. Looks like we'll have to continue this killing game then!</strong>"</p><p>With that, Monokuma disappeared just as quickly as he came, leaving everyone momentarily speechless.</p><p>"Well...he didn't deny any of our theories, so they're the best bets we have right now. We need to figure out what Monokuma was trying to hint at." Kotori said, leaning against one of the bookcases.</p><p>"Hey guys....I don't want to be a downer...but...are you sure that it's gonna be worth it to escape?" Atsu asked, bracing himself for disagreement.</p><p>"What do you mean?" Sara asked.</p><p>Atsu ran a hand through his slick jet black hair. </p><p>"We saw what was outside. The world is in ruins. Even if we escape, will it be any better than what we're dealing with in here?" The Swindler continued.</p><p>"Do you really doubt humanity's survival skills that much?" Arata asked.</p><p>"No that not what I-" Atsu cut himself off when he realized who he was saying this to.</p><p>"Shit! I didn't mean anythin-"</p><p>"It's fine. But, try to be more confident. There has to be....something out there. And if not, then we'll become that something. I won't give Monokuma the satisfaction of watching us wither away in here..." Arata trailed off when he noticed that all eyes were on him. </p><p>Kotori smiled back at him.</p><p>"You got some really great character development, huh?" She said.</p><p>Arata merely shook his head.</p><p>"I'm just saying what I think. It's fine if you guys want to stay here, but I'll escape." He said.</p><p>Kotori approached him and slapped him on the back in a friendly way. </p><p>"You think I'm gonna let you go off on your own after everything we've been through?" She asked.</p><p>She pulled her hand away and shook it off with a pained looked.</p><p>"Wow...your back is really hard!" She whined.</p><p>Arata sighed. For some reason, he was glad that he had gotten used to Kotori's humor. He felt a sense of relief knowing that she was willing to march off into the unknown with him. </p><p>"Hey! Don't forget about us! We can't just leave our friends out there all by themselves! We're coming too!" The puppet announced.</p><p>Haru's head was raised slightly, just enough that Arata could see the glint of her red eyes. He nodded.</p><p>"I'll come too. I don't have any reason to stay here and....I'd never leave my friends." Atsu said, casting him a small smile.</p><p>Arata returned the small smile.</p><p>"Saa-chan, what about you?" Kotori asked, turning towards the markswoman. </p><p>Sara closed her eyes and let out a long sigh. But she couldn't hide the smirk on her lips.</p><p>"You wouldn't give me a choice either way." She said.</p><p>"Awesome!" Kotori exclaimed.</p><p>Finally, everyone looked towards the Ultimate Luckster, who was staring at them with an unreadable expression.</p><p>"Are you going to come too, Kichino-kun?" The puppet asked.</p><p>The Luckster didn't answer her. He simply walked past them and towards the door. </p><p>But just before he exited, he stopped and turned his head back towards them.</p><p>"I never intended to stay in the first place." He said firmly. </p><p>Then he left the room without another word. </p><p>"Does he have to be so dramatic?" Kotori wondered aloud.</p><p>Atsu chuckled at the girl.</p><p>"I know, right?" </p><p>-</p><p>8:47 pm.</p><p>"So, what are we going to do from here on out?" Kotori asked, sitting herself down next to the Ultimate Survivor. </p><p>They were in the gymnasium, sitting on the edge of the stage.</p><p>"I'm not entirely sure. I'll still not used to being the leader." He admitted.</p><p>Kotori rested her chin on her fist. </p><p>"How about I give you a basic start?" She suggested.</p><p>Arata nodded.</p><p>"Go for it."</p><p>"So, what I think is that we should wait till morning, then during breakfast, we can try to share any information that could be helpful for escaping this hellhole." Kotori said, making jazz hands at the end.</p><p>A weak chuckle escaped from his mouth.</p><p>"You're so...odd." He said, side glancing her.</p><p>"You say that like you aren't odd too." She teased.</p><p>Arata looked towards the wooden floor of the gym.</p><p>"Anyways, I think what you said is a good plan." He said.</p><p>"Thanks, So are you just gonna sit here and look at the floor or are you gonna do something interesting?" Kotori asked, sticking her tongue out playfully.</p><p>"I'm good with look at the floor." He concluded.</p><p>-</p><p>"<strong>Mm, ahem, this is a school announcement. It is now 10 p.m. As such, it is officially nighttime. Soon the doors to the cafeteria will be locked. Okay then...sweet dreams, everyone! Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite...</strong>"</p><p>Arata closed the door to his room behind him. It had been a strange and slow day. He had gotten a lot of information in the past twenty four hours. </p><p>But, he knew it was best for him to get some rest. He hadn't been this tired in many many years. </p><p>As he laid down in his bed, his eyes slowly began to close.</p><p>Then, he was asleep.</p><p>———————————————————————</p><p>
  <em>"Wh-Why won't the d-do-door open?!" Riku asked, frantically pulling at the classroom door.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The rest of the students looked around for another way out or a way to open the door. Well, one was still missing, of course.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It was the end of their first week of being locked in the school-turned-shelter. They knew that if the people outside didn't make it, they were humanity's last hope. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>A monitor that no one had noticed before suddenly flickered on. All eyes turned towards it and blinked in confusion by who they saw.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>(A girl with strawberry pink pigtails and a quite revealing outfit)</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Wait, is that Junko Enoshima? The supermodel?!" Sora asked, being the voice of everyone's confusion.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"The one and only! I'm so glad you know about me, Miss America."  The supermodel laughed loudly, then suddenly her entire persona changed.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"NOW, LETS CUT TO THE FUCKIN' CHASE! YOU LOSERS ARE GONNA BE ONE OF THE TWO CLASSES THAT GET TO PARTICIPATE IN MY KILLING GAME!!!" The model shouted, her tongue lolling out of her mouth.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Every one of the students looked at each other with many mixed emotions. One boy stepped forwards.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"As much as I like games, I don't want anything to do with killing. Also, WHY THE HELL ARE WE LOCKED IN HERE!!??" Hideshi shouted, looking mildly panicked.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Oh ho ho! I do wonder about that, darling! I have to gather up you peasants so you won't miss the grand opening!" Junko said, for some reason, she had a British accent and her appearance changed again.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"What on earth..." Arata said under his breath.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I do not know what you are up to, demon! But the Headmaster will surely bring you to your knees!" Yami exclaimed, pointing a finger at the girl on the monitor. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Yami-san. Do not do anything brash." Kichino said firmly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"The headmaster you say? Well, if you wanted to see him so badly, why didn't you just ask!" The fashionista said, once again her look changed, she looked like a child trying to be cute and she looked more cartoonish.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"What are you talking about, queen of darkness? Do you know where our king resides?" Theo asked.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Junko giggled and nodded.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Of course I do! He's right here!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>When the words left her mouth the monitor changed to a different scene. One that made their hearts stop. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"It's the Headmaster!"  Haru's puppet exclaimed, pointing at the screen.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>All the students watched all the rocket closed around their headmaster and took off. It only came crashing back down, revealing nothing left but the bones of the man.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>No one spoke as the monitor flicked back to Junko's ever so lovely face. Once again, she looked different.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She looked like a teacher, having glasses and a notebook in hand.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Can you all see now that I am being serious. Whether you agree or not, you will participate in this killing game, I'm afraid." She mused.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yuu shuffled closer to Arata and grabbed his hand. Out of instinct, he immediately grabbed hers when he felt it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Wait! Where's Koharu-chan?!"  Atsu asked, looking around and noticing the historians absence.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Everyone else looked around. They hadn't even known she wasn't there. That didn't mean that they didn't care though.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Who-...whatever you are....where did you put Koharu-san?" Yukio asked, glaring at the monitor. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>It was surprising how many times she could change her appearance in the blink of an eye.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She held a hand over her mouth, looking and sounding quite bored.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You mean the boring looking girl? I have her....somewhere...maybe...she has something that I need." Junko said in a monotone and unamused voice.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You monster! You cannot treat her as if she were your own play toy! You have already committed a terribly atrocious sin! How do you look so calm with blood on your hands?!" Yami asked, clearly enraged.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"How? Because of the despair in it all. The despair of knowing that I'm a deceptive criminal that will never be normal in society." She said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She was drooling now.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Ren was the next one to step forward.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Enoshima-san. It's not too late to be forgiven. Even if you've killed someone, that doesn't mean that you are truly evil on the inside. Nobody is bad without a reason." He said, smiling warmly at the girl on the screen.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata rolled his eyes. One thing he's never gotten used to in the past three years was Ren's perspective of others.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Junko didn't move on the screen. She simply stared with a blank expression.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Then</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She looked sad. She was crying crocodile tears and mushrooms sprouted from her head.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Wow...you're such a nice person, aren't you. You're willing to forgive the girl who murdered your precious headmaster so quickly....it's hope like yours that I want to fall to despair..."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The second she finished speaking, a small circular object appeared next to the screen. Without hesitation, it shot something at the Ultimate Botanist, who didn't react in time to prevent it from entering his neck.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"R-Ren-chan!!!!" Riku cried out as his friend hit the ground, now incapacitated.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Don't touch it! That's a drug that will knock you out the second that it hits you!" Yukio shouted towards the assistant.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"B-But he's h-hu-hurt! I can-can't j-just do no-nothing!" Riku exclaimed. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Riku-chaaaan!!! Don't do it!" Kanon shouted, even though she really didn't have to.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Ignoring the protests, he knelt down beside his friend. But once his knee touch the ground, the circular object shot something towards him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Before he could even comprehend what happened, Riku lay a few feet away from where he just was. In his place, was Sara, with something sticking out of her neck. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>In an instant, she hit the ground, unconscious as well.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"S-Sara-san...?" Riku whispered in disbelief.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>On the monitor, Junko's persona changed again.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Such a heroic sacrifice. You must be really great friends. But too bad her efforts were in vain." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Multiple dart shooters appeared around the room. Each of them taking down another person. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Atsu, Sora, Kotori, Yukio, Kanon and Riku went down without much of a fight. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>When the dart hit Yami, she screamed and fell backwards as she blacked out. Before she hit the ground, Kichino was quick to catch her in his arms. Not even a second after, a dart lodged in his neck as well.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Haru had blocked the first dart with her hand puppet, but was immediately shot again by one from the opposite direction, knocking her out as well.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Theo stumbled backwards when a dart hit him, for some strange reason, even the way he fell was incredibly overdramatic. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Hideshi dodged quite a few darts before leaping onto one of the desks and launching himself at one of the things that were shooting the darts. He delivered a punch to it and it managed to destroy it. However, he was immediately shot by three others when he hit the ground again.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arata lasted the longest. He used his arms to block his head and face, completely ignoring the pain to the multiple darts that lodged into his arms. His arms suddenly went limp, leaving his neck vulnerable for the next dart to hit him, incapacitating him successfully.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Due to her wonderful talent, Yuu had built up a kind of immunity to things like this. Although she struggled to keep her eyes open and remain on her feet, she stared up at the fashionista with a completely awake look.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Why...why are...you...doing this....?" Yuu asked, unaware of the tears that slid down her cheeks.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She cringed at the cutesy face that appeared on the screen.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I thought I already told you, silly! It's for the amazing feeling of despair! I'll erase your memories of the past few years. When you wake up, you'll be all 'stranger danger' and stuff, y'know? Imagine the amazing despair that will happen in this killing game, I'm getting sick from the hope that it'll be despairingly amazing!" She exclaimed.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yuu felt her legs give way beneath her. When she hit the ground, she vaguely remembered hearing a distant voice.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I have a feeling that the survivor will make it far..."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Then, everything went completely black. </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0035"><h2>35. They Say If You Believe, Then You Can Accomplish Anything</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"<strong>Good morning, everyone! It is now 7 a.m. and nighttime is officially over! Time to rise and shine! Get ready to greet another beee-yutiful day!</strong>"</p><p>Arata was already up and out the door just as the morning announcement played. Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one up. </p><p>As he exited his room, he ran right into Atsu. He stumbled backwards slightly, but managed to keep his footing. </p><p>"Whoa! Sorry, man. I guess I didn't see you there. That was my bad." Atsu said sheepishly.</p><p>Arata shook his head.</p><p>"I wasn't focused either. So it wasn't entirely your fault." He said.</p><p>Atsu looked momentarily confused before he began nodding slowly.</p><p>"Um, alright then. So are you headed to the cafeteria? Wanna walk there with me?" The taller boy asked, smiling awkwardly.</p><p>Arata hesitated for a second. Then he nodded.</p><p>"Let's go. We don't want to keep anyone waiting." He said.</p><p>-</p><p>The bookshelf slow slid open, allowing Kichino to head inside the secret room. Just like all the times before, the room was pitch black. The Luckster had to rely on the flashlight on his Monopad to see.</p><p>He had been up before the morning announcement even played. Having some vague ideas of the true intention of this room, he came prepared. </p><p>In Kichino's arms, he held various items. He shone the flashlight on each of the ten pedestals in the room. He moved towards the sixth pedestal and took something from the objects he had brought.</p><p>On it, he placed a black baseball hat, once worn by the Ultimate Mad Scientist, Yukio Samuru. Once the object was fully set down, the pedestal sunk down. A bright green line appeared, leading to the door, opening a lock. </p><p>Kichino moved down further, skipping one that he didn't have the key to. He only had three more objects left in his hands. He picked them up at the last second, assuming that they would be needed later. And he was right. </p><p>The next object, a black headband, that formerly belonged to Hideshi Nakashima, the Ultimate 'Enigmatologist' , as Monokuma had revealed to them. He set the headband down on the pedestal, it sunk down and the line behind it glowed orange. Another lock clicked open.</p><p>He moved onto the next ones. </p><p>On the right pedestal, he set down a pair of chipped glasses, from the Ultimate Assistant, Riku Akinari. And on the left pedestal, he set down a burnt apron, from the Ultimate Botanist, Ren Kazuhiko.</p><p>They both sunk down and two lines lit up, leading to their own lock. The line from Riku's object lit up bright blue. The line from Ren's object lit up a golden color.</p><p>Kichino observed this process with minimal interest. However, he didn't look amused even in the slightest.</p><p>"Such a twisted end. Could this truly be what you mean by 'leave our killing game life behind'?" The Luckster asked no one in particular.</p><p>He reached into his pocket and pulled out something. The boy had it on him at all times. Although he wasn't sure why. He had no memory of the object, nor had it come from someone that he was particularly close to at all. </p><p>The silver cross necklace dangled from his fingers. Once worn by the Ultimate Exorcist, Yami Zenaku. Sometimes, he would find himself staring at it absentmindedly. He had no idea why. </p><p>Kichino had no memory of Yami Zenaku outside of this killing game. So why did she seem like she was so important to him? </p><p>His fist clenched around the silver chain. He didn't want to leave this behind. If Kotori's theory about their memory loss was true, then it could've been possible that he and Yami formed some kind of bond over the years that have become blurry in his mind.</p><p>"What...what are you to me? Your name does name hold any meaning in my life, yet you, Yami Zenaku, have managed to make me feel something that....I cannot understand." He murmured to himself. </p><p>'<em>Why can I not remember you?</em>'</p><p>-</p><p>"Arata-kun. What did you say earlier about pictures?" Kotori asked.</p><p>Arata raised his head up after previously being lost in thought.</p><p>"Awhile back, near the beginning of the game, Riku-san showed me something that he found on his Monopad after a while of digging. It was a couple of pictures of our classmates together. I was in one of them, but I don't remember it being taken. It seemed like everyone was great friends, even though we seemed to have just met in this killing game." The survivor explained.</p><p>Kotori nodded along as she listened to the explanation.</p><p>"Do you, by chance, still have these pictures?" Sara asked. </p><p>Arata shook his head.</p><p>"I've only ever seen them on Riku-san's Monopad, and I don't exactly know where it is." </p><p>Sara sighed, glancing to the side.</p><p>"Figures."</p><p>"Has anyone seen Kichino-kun? He should've been here by now." Haru's puppet said.</p><p>"He's probably off doing something suspicious again." Sara muttered.</p><p>The ventriloquist didn't respond to what Sara said. She just turned towards the door again.</p><p>"We're gonna go look for him!" The puppet announced. </p><p>Without any further warning, the girl darted out of the room.</p><p>Arata stood up abruptly and began to follow after her. Almost as if it was a ripple effect, each of the students began to stand up and follow his lead, much to the survivors own confusion.</p><p>-</p><p>"Kichino-kun? Are you in here?" The puppet called out. The ventriloquist looked around the library.</p><p>The rest of the students entered after her. </p><p>"Wait, the secret door is open." Kotori said, pointing towards the opened bookshelf.</p><p>Arata was the first to head towards it. Turning the corner, he peered inside the dark room, only to find that multiple different colored lights were lighting the room up just barely. And in the center of that room, stood the Ultimate Luckster.</p><p>"Can I help you?" He asked.</p><p>"Are you seriously going to act like you aren't being worshiped right now? What kind of seance are you performing?" Kotori asked incredulously.</p><p>Kichino clicked his tongue in annoyance.</p><p>"Unlike you peasants, I have been solving a puzzle that may or may not lead to our escape." Kichino rebutted.</p><p>Atsu stepped into the room, squinting at the objects that lay on the pedestals.</p><p>"These are....where did you get these?" Atsu asked, turning towards the Luckster.</p><p>"I have been collecting them since the discovery of this room. I have had my suspicions since the beginning, and it appears that I was correct to." He answered.</p><p>"If these are all things that belonged to the others, then that means...."Kotori trailed off and glanced towards Arata.</p><p>The survivor was staring at the ground with wide eyes. He understood. But somehow, he wished that he didn't.</p><p>Arata turned around quickly and hurried out of the room.</p><p>"I'll be right back."</p><p>-</p><p>True to his word, Arata return a couple minutes later. This time, he held multiple things in his arms. </p><p>Everyone stood back and watched as the boy look around frantically. He took something out of the pile of objects he brought and made his way towards the first pedestal. </p><p>He held out a plaid brown scarf, once belonging to Sora Takara, the Ultimate Illustrator. He gently set it down on the pedestal, which almost immediately sunk down. A line that led from the pedestal to the door lit up bright brown, opening another lock.</p><p>Arata watched the process, feeling a sense of dread in his stomach. </p><p>"What the hell....so we wouldn't have been able to leave if ten people didn't die first?!" Sara deduced.</p><p>"<strong>Correction. The minimum of people that had to be dead was ten. You guys could keep killing if you want! Upupu~</strong>"</p><p>Everyone stiffened at the sound of Monokuma's voice. It was like they hadn't been expecting him to be able to enter this room.</p><p>"You're such a monster...using these things like keys to acquire." Haru's puppet said, looking quite horrified.</p><p>"<strong>I know I'm a monster, but what's your excuse, missy?</strong>"</p><p>Haru visible stiffened. Her puppet looked like it was panicking silently. The ventriloquist raised her head slightly.</p><p>
  <em>*click*</em>
</p><p>Everyone turned towards the sound. They soon discovered that it came from Sara, who had her eyes closed and aimed a pistol at Monokuma.</p><p>"<strong>Whoa! When did you even get your hand on that? No wait, what are you even thinking about, Pointy McShooty? Causing harm to the Headmaster is strictly against the rul-</strong>"</p><p>Before Monokuma even had the chance to finished what he was saying, Sara pulled the trigger, hitting the bear in the dead middle of his red eye. It hit the ground with a clang before it began beeping.</p><p>Reacting instantly, Atsu grabbed the deranged plush doll and threw it out of the secret room. He grabbed the bookshelf door and closed it a little to stop any debris from getting in. A second later, a loud explosion could be heard on the other side.</p><p>For a whole minute, no one moved nor spoke a word. Then, someone did.</p><p>"Yeah okay. I guess that happened. And also: What the hell, Sara-chan?!" Kotori said, looking quite disturbed.</p><p>Sara held the pistol casually by her side. She feigned innocence.</p><p>"What do you mean?" The markswoman asked.</p><p>Arata was quick to catch the look of amusement in her eyes. Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one.</p><p>"....okay, I'm going to pretend that I believe you. Now, you have to be careful. You just broke one of the rules. Remember what happened to Arata-kun?" Kotori asked, crossing her arms.</p><p>Sara didn't answer. Everyone couldn't forget about what happened to Arata. Especially since he lived.</p><p>"...moving along, we need to finish placing these things down. Whatever is behind this door could be vital to our survival." Kichino interrupted.</p><p>Arata nodded. As much as he hated it, he had to do it.</p><p>He pulled out the second item, which took up a lot of space in his arms. He didn't know if it would work but it was worth a shot. </p><p>The survivor slowly set down the false sword on the pedestal. It was made by Theo Aurora, The Ultimate Thespian himself.</p><p>The pedestal sink down slight and a bright blue line lit up, stretching towards the door and unlocking another piece.</p><p>Arata gulped and continued down the line. He held out a pair of broken headphones. They were worn all the time by Kanon Kazuno, the Ultimate DJ. The pedestal that they were set on sunk into the ground. The line lit up pink this time and another lock opened.</p><p>"I don't have anything from Yami-san...." Arata mumbled, looking at the final empty pedestal on that side of the room.</p><p>"Leave it for now. Just place the objects that you do have." Kichino instructed.</p><p>Arata looked down at the only thing that remained in his hand:</p><p>A single turquoise button. A memory of Yuu, the Ultimate Human Test Subject.</p><p>But of course, he had his doubts. Would it even work? It barely had any weight to it. </p><p>Lost in thought, Arata approached the third pedestal on the opposite side of the room. He bit his lip and let the button fall onto the surface. </p><p>Surprisingly, the pedestal sunk down and the line behind it lit up turquoise. How ironic. Or was that intentional? </p><p>"Is that all of them?" Kichino asked, breaking him out of his thoughts.</p><p>"Yes...." </p><p>"Hm. One moment." </p><p>Everyone turned towards the Luckster and watched him approached Yami's empty pedestal. He took a silver cross necklace out of his pocket and set it down on the surface. Almost immediately, it sunk down and the line turned red, unlocking another lock in the process.</p><p>"That should be almost all of them." Kichino said, ignoring that confused looks that were aimed towards him. </p><p>"Um....does anyone have anything from Koharu-san?" Kotori asked.</p><p>Everyone stayed still. It seemed like no one had gotten anything from her. That was odd.</p><p>"I....I do...." Atsu said, raising his hand. </p><p>"What is it?" Sara asked.</p><p>Atsu didn't respond. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of square-rimmed glasses. He did his best to avoid locking eyes with everyone as he stepped towards the final empty pedestal. He reached down to place the glasses on the top when</p><p>"Wait!"</p><p>Atsu stopped and turned towards the voice, along with everyone else.</p><p>Haru's head was up and her red eyes were wide with fear and surprise. Even her puppet seemed shocked by her outburst. </p><p>Realizing what she had just done, Haru ducked her head back down, her face flushed slightly red. Her puppet spoke this time.</p><p>"Are we sure it's safe to do this? What if there's something terrible behind that door?" It asked.</p><p>Atsu looked down at the glasses in his hands, his expression wavering.</p><p>"I...just....I want to believe that it's something that will help us..." the Swindler said, his voice held so much emotion.</p><p>"...and if it's not?" Sara asked, crossing her arms.</p><p>Atsu's hand began to tremble ever so slightly. He turned to face the group of students, showing that tears were helplessly falling from his eyes. </p><p>"Th-then....at least we tried our best..." he said, his voice straining.</p><p>Everyone could feel the sorrow that radiated off of the tall boy. </p><p>It was heartbreaking.</p><p>"...I suppose we will have to take a chance." Kichino said, looking towards Atsu. </p><p>Atsu seemed confused momentarily confused before realizing that Kichino was agreeing with him. </p><p>"I say we do it." Arata chimed in.</p><p>"I'm fine with it as long as Arata-kun is." Kotori agreed.</p><p>Sara simply nodded.</p><p>"Then lets do it!" Haru's puppet exclaimed.</p><p>Atsu nodded and turned back to the pedestal. He held out the glasses and took a deep breath. He set them down, waiting for something spectacular. </p><p>Except</p><p>Nothing happened.</p><p>The pedestal didn't sink down.</p><p>Nor did the line light up.</p><p>This left one lock still firmly in place. </p><p>No one spoke. They just stared in confusion. Suddenly, Atsu's eyes widened and he turned towards the others.</p><p>"Wait! If it's not lighting up then that means-"</p><p>He never got a chance to finish his sentence. </p><p>Cause right at that moment, a gunshot sounded.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0036"><h2>36. H.O.P.E - Hold On, Pain Ends</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Before Atsu could comprehend the situation, he was shoved to the side so much faster than what should be physically possible.</p>
<p>He landed on the ground, quickly looking back at where he just stood.</p>
<p>Sara stood in his place. At first, he was confused as to why she had pushed him. </p>
<p>Then he froze.</p>
<p>The gunshot.</p>
<p>"S-Sara-chan!!!!" Kotori shouted as she bolted towards the markswoman. </p>
<p>She reached her just in time to prevent her from falling. Sara held a hand over her chest.</p>
<p>Atsu widened his eyes as he saw blood dripping from underneath Sara's hand.</p>
<p>Everyone except Kichino were immediately surrounding her.</p>
<p>Her breathing was ragged and desperate, like she was just barely able to breathe.</p>
<p>"S-Sara-san....why did you save me...?" Atsu asked, searching the markswomans eyes for any reason that she could've done this.</p>
<p>Instead of answering, she broke into a fit of coughing. Thin streams of blood fell from her mouth. </p>
<p>"...t..tak..e...thi..s....sh..oot...lo..ck..." she managed to choke out.</p>
<p>She held her pistol out towards Kichino. He seemed reluctant to take it at first, but he eventually grabbed it from her. </p>
<p>Taking a quick glance around, Kichino cocked the gun and shot the Monokuma that had appeared with a sniper. He cocked it back again and turned towards the door.</p>
<p>In his mind, he was silently pleading that this was their way out. </p>
<p>He raised the gun to the final lock and pulled the trigger, almost immediately blasting it into pieces. Without thinking twice, he threw open the door and stared inside. </p>
<p>Kichino was confused by what he saw. </p>
<p>It was a large remote with a single red button in the center of it.</p>
<p>"Shinobu-san, what's in there?" Arata asked, his voice urgent.</p>
<p>"I am....not quite sure actually...it appears to be a remote. I am going to make a guess and say that it must open the iron barricade at the entrance of the school." The Luckster said, pocketing the gun and picking up the black remote.</p>
<p>"Sara-chan?! You're gonna be okay! We're gonna get you out of here!" Kotori said, staring down at the injured girl.</p>
<p>Sara didn't respond right away, leaving the investigator to panic.</p>
<p>Then she finally spoke up.</p>
<p>"I-I...I knew....I wouldn't...m-make it....out of here....a-alive...." the markswoman muttered.</p>
<p>"Hang in there, Sara-kun!" Haru's puppet cried.</p>
<p>Arata quickly turned towards Atsu.</p>
<p>"Atsu-san, we need you to help us carry her to the entrance." He instructed.</p>
<p>Without waiting for a response, Arata took off his dark blue blazer and held it against the bullet wound on Sara's chest.</p>
<p>"Ngghh~" Sara groaned in pain as she felt the sudden pressure.</p>
<p>"Arata-kun? I think you're hurting her more!" Kotori exclaimed anxiously.</p>
<p>Arata shook his head.</p>
<p>"I'm only trying to stop the bleeding. I have to apply enough pressure." He explained.</p>
<p>Arata soon realized that they didn't have enough time to wait for the bleeding to stop. He mumbled something under his breath before removing the now bloody blazer and wrapping it around Sara. He tied it off tightly over the wound.</p>
<p>"Kenshin-san. Pick her up." Kichino said. Without another word, he strolled out of the secret room, presumably towards the entrance of the school.</p>
<p>"A-Alright. Sorry about this, Sara-san." Atsu apologized in advance. He slid his arms underneath Sara's body and slowly lifted her off the ground, bridal style.</p>
<p>"Gaahh~" Sara hissed under her breath when she was lifted. </p>
<p>"S-Sorry." Atsu apologized again. </p>
<p>"Say sorry later! We still need to save her!" Kotori exclaimed.</p>
<p>Arata motioned for the rest of them to follow. They all made their way out of the secret room,  and then out of the library. </p>
<p>Haru ran ahead to catch up with Kichino. Atsu couldn't run very fast otherwise it could hurt Sara more.</p>
<p>"D-Don't worry! We're almost there! We're almost out!" Kotori said to the barely conscious girl.</p>
<p>Sara didn't respond. </p>
<p>When they reached the entrance, Kichino stood there expectantly.</p>
<p>As Arata approached the Luckster, he was surprised when the remote was handed to him. Before he could ask why, </p>
<p>"Do it. I would seem more appropriate if it was you." The Luckster said.</p>
<p>Arata nodded and looked down at the remote. This was it. Right? This would open the door and they would be free. Sara would be saved. But...</p>
<p>He felt his heart drop. All of the students that weren't here. Those who wanted to get out more than any of them. They were dead. In so little time. </p>
<p>But why was he hesitating? </p>
<p>What would the other students tell him?</p>
<p>In a moment, the sound around him was drowned out. Instead, he heard a chorus of familiar voices around him.</p>
<p>"<em>You can do it! We're proud of you, Arata."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>"It is time to expand your horizon. Go forth, young king."</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Don't hesitant, Arata-chan!! We're right here with you!"</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Please....escape this place....so that we can finally rest, Arata-kun."</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"I'm still surprised that you made it this far, so don't let all of this go to waste, man."</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"W-We believe i-in-in you!" </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Indeed. We never doubted your abilities."</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Let us rest. We've been waiting for too long..."</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Arata froze when he heard the final voice.</em>
</p>
<p><em>"You can....do it....Arata-chan....please.....believe in.....yourself....for us...</em>" </p>
<p>Unbeknownst to him, a few tears slipped down his cheeks. Where were these voices coming from?</p>
<p>No. That didn't matter right now. What mattered, was escaping this god forsaken school. </p>
<p>Without another second of hesitation, Arata pressed the button on the remote.</p>
<p>At first, nothing happened. Then, the sound of gear turning and metal clanking together. Each of them widened their eyes as the door on front of them began to open.</p>
<p>"I-It worked!" Haru's puppet exclaimed. </p>
<p>Arata felt an overwhelming sense of relief when the door began to open. </p>
<p>Everyone was aware of what they would see beyond these doors, but they knew that they couldn't stay here anymore. </p>
<p>Each of them winched at the drastic change in light. Even though it wasn't sunny outside, it was still a lot brighter than inside the school. </p>
<p>The doors finally opened fully, leaving the survivor to stare in awe at the wasteland ahead of them.</p>
<p>For awhile, no one moved. Then...</p>
<p>"Let's go. If we can't find anyone that can help, then we'll have to help her ourselves." Arata said, stepping through the doorway. </p>
<p>Atsu followed after him, still carrying the injured girl. He stopped momentarily, looking back at the school with a longing expression. He shook his head and faced forwards again. </p>
<p>"If my memory serves me correctly, then there should be a drugstore nearby. It should supply us with basic medical needs for the time being." Kichino informed, taking the lead.</p>
<p>One by one, each of them took their first steps out of the school. </p>
<p>They knew that this would be the start of their new lives. </p>
<p>Their first steps towards hope.</p>
<p>——————————————————————</p>
<p>The end?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>..</p>
<p> </p>
<p>...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>....</p>
<p> </p>
<p>.....</p>
<p> </p>
<p>......</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"...oh, I guess my game failed. This many people weren't supposed to escape. The maximum amount was supposed to be two." She said, staring out the window in the observatory.</p>
<p>She stared at the group of students that were making their way off of the school grounds. She smiled.</p>
<p>If one looked closely, they could see the despair in her chocolate brown eyes. The wicked yet forced smile on her face made it clear that she wasn't entirely sane.</p>
<p>"Ah, forgive me, Junko-sama. I failed to keep my end of the bargain. Ahaha~...I'm such a terrible headmaster. Things are probably going smoothly at Hope's Peak Academy." She mused.</p>
<p>Reaching towards the edge of the table next to her, her smile only grew wider as she picked up the pistol that was lying on the flat surface.</p>
<p>"But I truly enjoy times like these. Knowing that I failed you fills me with such wonderful despair! I can hardly stand it!!" She giggled maniacally as she cocked the gun back.</p>
<p>She took a step away from the large window and aimed the gun at the side of her head. Her eyes were deep pools of despair as she looked up at the sky.</p>
<p>"Junko-sama, please forgive me for being hopeful in my last moments, for I have been wanting nothing more than death since I met you!!" She raised her voice, although no one was left to hear her shouting.</p>
<p>She threw her head back as she began laughing maniacally. Tears streamed down her dark cheeks and her laughter grew louder.</p>
<p>"I'M READY NOW!!!!" She shouted.</p>
<p>In a split second, she pulled the trigger, letting loose a bullet that passed straight through her head and out the other side. </p>
<p>Her body slumped onto the ground and the gun clatter to the floor when she lost her grip.</p>
<p>She lay lifeless on the ground, a small pool of blood was forming underneath her head. </p>
<p>—————————————————————</p>
<p>
  <em>"Hey, Arata? Could I borrow you for a moment please?" Sora asked shyly.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Arata tilted his head in confusion. He nodded to Kotori, who he had been conversing with. He made his way over to the Ultimate Illustrator.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"What do you need?" He asked.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Sora stared down at the ground for a moment,  seemingly lost in thought. She suddenly took a deep breath and raised her head.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Do you....do you think we'll ever leave this place? You're always honest with everyone so I know you'll give me the truth. I know that if we go outside, we might die. That's why this place was turned into a shelter after all. But I can't stop worrying about my family. I just heard that the Tragedy has made its way overseas to America." Sora said, looking quite anxious. She unconsciously hugged her sketchbook tight to her chest.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Arata took a moment to think about the question. He didn't want to make Sora worry, but she was counting on him to give her a solid answer.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"We can't stay here forever. Even if the world is utter chaos outside, nothing will last forever, including the Tragedy. However, I can't say I'm too sure that your family will survive. Considering what the Tragedy has already done to our country alone, there's no doubt that there will be an overwhelming amount of casualties." Arata said, his expression unwavering.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Sora's mood seemed to drop. In fact, she looked like she was going to be sick.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"I-I....I...I j-just...."</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Sora-san? What's wrong? What did you say to her, Arata-san?!" Koharu asked.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The historian pushed past Arata and place a comforting hand on Sora's shoulder. She began speaking to her in a low voice that Arata couldn't hear. He took this as his cue to leave.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He walked towards the opposite side of the school. He knew exactly where he was headed and exactly who would be there.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Arata arrived and pushed open the gymnasium door. The scene that he walked in on was definitely an odd one.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Kanon-san! Stop shaking the catwalk! You could seriously injure yourself and others around you!" Yami shouted.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Kanon hung upside down from the catwalk, swinging the thing back and forth while smiling happily.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"But this is soooo much fun!!! You should really try it!! It's like swinging but backwards!" The DJ exclaimed.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>There were a few students gathered around her, presumably trying to get her down.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Pl-please come d-dow-down, Kanon-chan!" Riku begged. The poor boy looked like he was about to break.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"You know that if you break your neck, you won't be able to make people happy. You'd also be dead too." Hideshi said, sitting in the side of the stage, scribbling something down in a tiny notebook.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Hmm, I guess you're right, Kideshi! Hey Riichan? Catch me!!" Kanon shouted before letting herself fall from the catwalk.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Riku's eyes widened and he quickly moved to catch the energetic girl. This ended with her unintentionally using him as a landing pad. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Sorry, Riichan! But I knew you'd catch me!" Kanon said, getting off of Riku.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Y-Yup....ow....." the assistant remained on the floor.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Riku-kun? Are you alright? Did you break anything? If so, then I shall escort you to the infirmary." Yami said, staring down at the boy.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>If there's anyone that intimidated Riku the most, it was Yami.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The assistant instantly sat up, making him grimace.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"I-I'm fine. Yo-you don't n-need to worry ab-abou-about me!" He said quickly. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"You aren't getting out of this one so easily, Riichan! Come on, Yami-chan! Let's bring him to the infirmary!" Kanon said, linking one of her arms with Riku's and pulling him to his feet with surprising strength.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Let us depart then." Yami said, following Kanon's example and linking her and Riku's arms.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Arata watched as the three left the gymnasium, leaving two other students besides himself. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>However, Hideshi suddenly snapped his small notebook shut and hopped off the stage. He headed towards the door and left as well.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Oh! Good day to you, Arata-dono! May I ask why you have come here?" Theo asked, sitting down on the edge of the stage.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Arata felt a sense of ease, being near his best friend. He took a seat beside the Thespian.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"I...think I broke Sora-san...." he said quietly.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Theo tilted his head to the side in curiosity.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"What happened?"</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Arata sighed.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"She came to me, asking for the truth. She wanted to know if we would ever leave this school. She said she wanted to know if her family was alright. But when I answered her questions, she looked so...despair filled...I guess." Arata explained, staring down at the shiny floor.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"I see. It's only natural for one to react badly to the cold hard truth. But you must remember that not everything will end in despair. The world is a mystery, full of chance. For all we know, we could be out of here in mere months!" Theo said, smiling brightly. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Arata nodded absentmindedly as he continued staring at the floor. Theo seemed to take notice of this. The taller boy slid off the edge of the stage and stood in front of Arata. He had his hands in his hips and a proud smile on his face.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Shall we go search for Sora-dono? It is under my assumption that you wish to apologize." He said.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Arata stared at the boy with a blank expression for a moment. Then, a small smile appeared on his face.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Thanks, Theo-san..." The Survivor murmured. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Before they even moved, there was a loud bang on the other side of the gymnasium door.   A second or two later, Hideshi opened it, clutching his leg in pain.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Shit! My fucking knee!!" He swore, hopping on one foot. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"What do you want?" Arata asked.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Yeah, I'm fine! Thanks for asking!" Hideshi said sarcastically. "The Headmaster told me to come get you guys cause it's time for dinner." The enigmatologist stated. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>After saying his part, Hideshi turned and limped back towards the cafeteria.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Arata and Theo looked at each other with a matching look of amusement.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Well, Let us head there now. Finding Sora-dono shouldn't be too difficult now." Theo mused. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Arata chuckled weakly and nodded. They headed out of the gymnasium.</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0037"><h2>37. Extra - Flowers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The flowers and their meanings. Even flowers for those who survived.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Theo - Pink Carnation meaning 'I will never forget you' , and Magnolia meaning nobility</p><p>Sora - Lilacs meaning family, Yellow Rose meaning friendship </p><p>Kanon - White heather mean 'wishes will come true', and Chrysanthemum meaning cheerfulness, Iris meaning 'thank you for your friendship'</p><p>Yami - Holly meaning protection and defense, Anemone meaning forsaken, chestnut flower meaning seek justice</p><p>Koharu - Lavender meaning knowledge, and Sage meaning wisdom, Wild Rose meaning charming simplicity</p><p>Yukio - Fern meaning fascination, and Coral Rose meaning desire, Queen Ann's Lace meaning complexity</p><p>Yuu - Cactus flower meaning endurance, and White rose meaning innocence and secrecy, Forget-Me-Not meaning memories</p><p>Hideshi - Snapdragon meaning deception, and Monkshood meaning 'a deadly foe is near', Astilbe meaning 'I'll be waiting for you'</p><p>Ren - Azalea meaning 'Take care of yourself for me', and Cattail meaning peace, and Sweet pea flower meaning farewell</p><p>Riku - Red spider lily meaning 'I look forward to meeting you again', Alstroemeria meaning devotion and friendship, Primrose meaning 'I can't live without you.'</p><p>Haru - Hydrangea meaning emotion and understanding, Lily-Of-The-Valley meaning return to happiness, Lily(day) Chinese emblem for mother.</p><p>Arata - Rose(Tea) meaning 'I'll remember, always.', Zinnia meaning thoughts of absent friends, Hollyhock meaning ambition</p><p>Atsu - Black-eyed Susan meaning motivation and encouragement, Orchid Cattleya meaning mature charm, Larkspur meaning open hearted.</p><p>Sara - Tansy meaning 'I declare war on you', Adonis meaning sad memories, Butterfly weed meaning 'leave me'</p><p>Kotori - Horehound meaning health, Camomile meaning 'energy in adversity', Aster meaning patience.</p><p>Kichino - Gardenia meaning secret love, Apple Blossom meaning good fortune, Four leaf clover meaning good luck.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0038"><h2>38. Side Story #1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A side story following the dynamic between Yami Zenaku and Kichino Shinobu</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Yami Zenaku, the Ultimate Exorcist, stood outside of a certain classroom. She checked the watch on her wrist. The class should let out soon. It was the only class still in session. </p><p>As Vice President of the Disciplinary Committee, it was part of her job to make sure no students caused any trouble. </p><p>The sound of the belling ringing managed to snap her out of her thoughts.</p><p>Truth be told, she had another reason for waiting for this class to let out. A certain someone was in this class. </p><p>'<em>Speak of the devil</em>'</p><p>Kichino Shinobu, the Ultimate Luckster, stalked out of the classroom first. Yami took note that his face was slightly beaten up. His lip was busted open and there was a large bruise on his cheek.</p><p>"Whom was it this time, Kichino-san?" Yami asked, approaching the boys side.</p><p>The luckster scoffed and turned his head to the side.</p><p>"Ultimate Boxer. Even if he is incredibly barbaric, even my luck cannot stop his fist." Kichino muttered.</p><p>Yami sighed and looked around. Few students still lingered after the class let out. Since both Kichino and Yami lived in the dorms, they could take their time.</p><p>"Come with me. Let us head to the infirmary. Although the nurse is probably gone, I still have basic medical knowledge." The exorcist said. </p><p>Yami, without thinking, reached for Kichino's hand before stopping. She had forgotten that he told her not to do gestures like that around the other students.</p><p>-</p><p>Just as she had predicted, the nurse was gone. However, the lights were still on and the door was unlocked. </p><p>Yami led the injured boy into the infirmary and directed him to sit down in one of the chairs.</p><p>"How many times have I told you that you do not need to do things such as this." Kichino said, crossing his arms.</p><p>"Kichi-kun, I do things such as this so that I can prove myself to be worthy of your love." Yami said, grabbing a few things from the cabinet.</p><p>"I have told you before and I will tell you again. I do not need you to prove yourself worthy. Being chosen to be my girlfriend made it clear that you are already enough on your own." The Luckster said firmly.</p><p>Yami looked away. It was rare for her to be so bashful but Kichino's words always manage to touch her heart.</p><p>"I-I....I still do not see....why you chose someone like me. I am far from the ideal girlfriend. With me, I will bring curses. The very same curses that I have pledged my life to extinguish." The exorcist said.</p><p>She unconsciously clutched the silver cross that hung from her neck. She jumped when she felt a hand on her own. </p><p>Yami hadn't noticed when Kichino had gotten up, but he now stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. She gently leaned back into his embraced, basking in his warmth.</p><p>"With my luck, we will be able to rid you of these curses. After all, my luck was enough to allow me to meet you, Yami-san." The luckster said, his voice sincere.</p><p>Although he was only a centimeter or two taller than Yami, he managed to rest his chin on her shoulder.</p><p>"Kichi-kun....I still have to clean and patch up your wounds." Yami reminded him, although her voice lacked its previous intensity.</p><p>"Ah yes. I was careless to have forgotten so easily. I suppose I got carried away." The luckster said, pulling away from the exorcist.</p><p>Yami grabbed the items that she had taken out earlier. She directed Kichino back to the chair and began to clean his lip.</p><p>"It would be best if I work faster. It is almost time for your parents to call in for a daily report, correct?" Yami asked.</p><p>Kichino nodded.</p><p>"If possible, I would like to borrow your makeup once more so that I may at least hide this obnoxious bruise. I do not want them to overreact and cause a scene again." The boy said, sighing as he recalled what happened in his last school.</p><p>The rest of the process was left to silence. Even after Yami had finished, they both just stared at each other with warm gazes. It wasn't obvious who reach forwards first. But soon, their hands were locked and their fingers were laced together.</p><p>Both of them them knew that this was a very sappy thing to do, but they didn't always have moments to themselves like this. They were both of different social standings in the school and no one is aware that they are dating each other. </p><p>Over the three years that they had been in this school, they had yet to got on an official date. Although, Kichino's constant promises(statements) to take Yami to the most extraordinary and unforgettable place for their first date, was enough.</p><p>Neither of them were experienced in the concept of love. They both lived very different lives, yet their fates crossed paths. They found comfort in one another, managing to fill the holes in their hearts.</p><p>They were happy to spend the rest of their lives with each other. </p><p> </p><p>However.....</p><p> </p><p>That was never going to happen....</p><p> </p><p>For Yami Zenaku is dead. But with his jumbled memories, Kichino Shinobu has pledged to never forget about her.</p><p>Even if he couldn't remember why she was so important to him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0039"><h2>39. Side Story #2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A story following Arata’s class before the killing game and the tragedy</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Arata knew he had walked in on something that he wasn't supposed to. Just by the way that the people in front of him stared at him with malicious intent.</p><p>"Arata....chan....?..." </p><p>Ah, so this is where she's been. He had been looking all over the school for Yuu when she didn't meet up with him after classes like normal. </p><p>Naturally assuming that she had fallen asleep somewhere, he went off to search for her. However, he found her near the entrance of the school, surrounded by people in black suits.</p><p>"Yuu-chan....what's going on here?" Arata asked, or more or less demanded.</p><p>One of the men in the black suits stepped forward and attempted an explanation.</p><p>"Greetings. You must be the the other student that Samuru-san has let slip our...'agreement' to. However, we are sorry to inform you that we cannot let Subject Y-UU-346 remain in this school. That is all the details that we can tell you. Now please be on your way." The man said, dismissing Arata with a wave of his hand.</p><p>Of course, Arata wasn't going to do that. Instead, he cautiously approached Yuu's side. He noticed that she was shaking. Was she cold, or perhaps scared?</p><p>"I'm afraid I can't just let you take my friend away. And at least have the decency to refer to her by her name. She is a human, after all." Arata said, standing protectively in front of the girl.</p><p>A few of the men started to move forward but were stopped by the leader telling them to not do anything yet.</p><p>"She lost her humanity long ago. Which means, she has no choice in the matter." The man stated.</p><p>"I think she does. And if you think otherwise, then I will be forced to correct you." Arata said, his voice dangerously low. </p><p>He could feel Yuu gently grasping his hand, and he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze in return.</p><p>"Are you sure that you know what you're doing, kid? Your interference is quite illegal." The man said.</p><p>"So is your experimentation. You only get a free pass because you practically made the laws." Arata retorted.</p><p>"You're starting a battle that you can't win, boy. I suggest that you walk away now before things get ugly." The man said.</p><p>Arata smiled.</p><p>"Well, they don't call me the Ultimate Survivor for nothing. HIDESHI-SAN! DO IT!" Arata turn toward the doorway that he had entered from.</p><p>Something landed between the men and Arata. When it hit the ground, it engulfed the room in smoke.</p><p>Arata picked Yuu up in his arms and rushed out of the room. He knew where he was headed. Far away. Probably one of the third floor classrooms.</p><p>Hideshi wasn't too far behind him.</p><p>"Did it work?" The shorter boy asked.</p><p>"Seems so. They don't seem to be after us just yet. Can you go gather the rest of our class?" Arata asked. </p><p>Hideshi nodded and sped off.</p><p>-</p><p>"Atsu-san! Lock the door and move some of the desks in front of it! Theo-san! Help him out!" Arata instructed. </p><p>The two boys nodded. Atsu locked the door then he and Theo moved a few desk in front of it. Since they were the two strongest students in the room, it was only them who could do the job effectively.</p><p>"Don't worry Yuu-chan, we won't let them take you back." Arata said, looking at the small girl that was curled up in the corner of the classroom. </p><p>"Yeah! Don't worry I'll protect you!" Hideshi exclaimed proudly. </p><p>"Not the time, Hideshi-san!" Kotori shouted.</p><p>Arata watched as his classmates hurried around the room. All sixteen of them were in here, and they all had the same objective: Protect Yuu.</p><p>"Are you sure this is a good idea!? These are literally trained military people from the Japanese government." Sora said, panicking.</p><p>Koharu placed a hand on Sora's shoulder.</p><p>"I have honestly no idea what will happen, but that's the fun in finding out the future." The historian said, although her voice was shaky.</p><p>"Kichino-kun! You are the most economically powerful one in this room! Can you not do something about this!?" Yami asked.</p><p>"I am lucky, but I am not a god. There is only so much I can do, Yami-san." Kichino said, quietly</p><p>"Okay!! I call being the first to jump out the window!!" Kanon shouted.</p><p>"A-At this rate, w-we might ha-ha-have t-to." Riku said, quickly.</p><p>"We can't. It's most likely that they have the entire school surrounded." Sara said.</p><p>Ren slung his arm over Riku's shoulders. He was still smiling like usual.</p><p>"Everyone, lets just take a moment to calm down. I'm sure this will all work out in the end." Ren said, calmly.</p><p>Riku pushed his glasses up and took a deep breath.</p><p>"You're...r-right. We j-just need to-to have f-faith i-in the s-system." Riku stuttered.</p><p>Haru had remained in the back of the classroom. Her puppet was looking around the frazzled group of students.</p><p>"Yuu-chan, are you feeling lightheaded again?" Yukio asked, kneeling beside the small girl.</p><p>Yuu didn't respond. That gave him his answer. Yukio took a syringe out of his pocket and held out his hand to Yuu. She seemed to know what this meant. She held out her arm to the mad scientist and he gently took it. He injected the liquid into her arm and pulled the syringe away. </p><p>"This is my newest formula. Let me know if it has any side effects!" Yukio said. </p><p>Arata jumped at the sound of knocking. Scratch that. It was the sound of pounding. Someone was trying to open the door.</p><p>"You kids are fighting a losing battle. If you don't hand over the subject soon, then we will be forced to use physical means." The man from earlier said from behind the door.</p><p>"How cowardly. Casting harm upon those whom only wish is to live." Theo mused, glancing towards Yuu with an expression of pity.</p><p>"Cowardly you say? How are we cowards for doing our jobs? Her life means nothing compared to the lives that will be saved by the results of these experiments." The man said.</p><p>"That's a horrible way to think!" Koharu exclaimed.</p><p>"Yeah!" Atsu agreed, then proceeded to be glared at by Koharu. He smile nervously, as if apologizing.</p><p>"Have you no shame in the way you think? Every single life is precious and every single life has meaning." Yami said.</p><p>"You are a very hopeful lot. I'll give you that. But a group of kids like you can't stop something like this." The man said.</p><p>"What about you guys?" </p><p>Everyone turned towards the last person they expected to try and persuade someone. </p><p>"Excuse me?" The man asked.</p><p>"I said, what about you guys? People like you are able to stop something like this, right?" Hideshi asked.</p><p>There was a weak laugh from the other side of the door.</p><p>"If only, kid. We have no say in this. We're only supposed to do our job. And our job is that we need to pull the subject out of the school and return her to the lab." The man replied.</p><p>"Why couldn't you wait till her high school life was finished? She's a third year like the rest of us." Yukio pointed out.</p><p>"Because some things can't afford to wait. The longer we delay this, then more people will die because we couldn't find the answer in time." The man said, his voice now somber.</p><p>Yuu shakily began to get to her feet. Arata looked at her in confusion.</p><p>"Thank you....everyone....but....I should....go with....them.....cause.....that's what....is best....for everyone....." she said slowly.</p><p>"Yuu-san, we can't just let them take you. We already know a lot about what they did to you before, and if you go back....then I don't know what will happen...." Atsu said, softly.</p><p>".....I've already.....made it....this far....right?...." </p><p>"What th-"</p><p>Everyone turned their heads towards the door. There were muffled sounds from the other side and the sound of a gun firing, which alerted Sara.</p><p>The markswoman jerked her head up and widened her eyes.</p><p>"S-Sara-san? Wh-what's wrong?" Riku asked the girl.</p><p>He could barely hear when she whispered under her breath.</p><p>"Ikusaba...."</p><p>A few moments passed and no one heard anything from the other side of the door. Then, there was a knock.</p><p>"Who goes there?!" Theo called out.</p><p>Silence for a moment, then</p><p>"No one. I was ordered to keep you all alive. She still needs you for her plans." An unknown female voice responded from the other side of the door.</p><p>Sara stepped forwards.</p><p>"Ikusaba-san. You are no longer part of Fenrir. Why are you still following someone's orders?" Sara asked, clenching her teeth slightly.</p><p>Another moment of silence.</p><p>"I made sure that they won't have backup. However, keep your guard up, Ultimate Human Test Subject. Your friends won't always be there to save you." The female said, ignoring Sara's question.</p><p>After a few moments, everyone knew that the person had left.</p><p>"So....who wants to be the one to open the door?" Hideshi asked.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0040"><h2>40. Side Story #3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>How they came to be together.</p><p> </p><p>Warning: Graphic depictions of implied abuse</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was the end of spring break. Almost everyone was returning to the school, after having visited loved ones and such.</p><p>Kichino was one of the people who stayed behind. He found no need to see his family unless he could return with something they could be proud of: A well polished talent.</p><p>He wasn't the only one of his class to stay behind. </p><p>Arata did. Along with Haru, Koharu, Riku, and Sora.</p><p>He didn't care much for them. </p><p>The luckster spent most of the break simply searching through the library, even late through the night.</p><p>But nearing the end of the break, he was lucky enough to catch a certain someone attempting to sneak into the girls dorms without being seen.</p><p>It was 12:00 am, so his interest had certainly been peaked.</p><p>"Zenaku-san. You have returned." He said, confronting the exorcist.</p><p>Since they met, they clashed nonstop due to their differing outlooks. But nonetheless, something about the girl had always intrigued him.</p><p>But the girl simply stood there. In the dim light, Kichino could see that her usually well kept hair was cascading over one of her eyes.</p><p>"Shinobu-kun....why are you still awake at such a late hour?" She asked, her voice low and cautious. </p><p>"Should I not be asking you the same? And you normally refer to everyone by their first name. So why is now different?" He asked, crossing his arms.</p><p>"I am just...tired. Now, if you will excuse me..." Without another word, she moved around Kichino and  continued toward her dorm. </p><p>Unfortunately, the luckster was very persistent. He kept his eyes on her for moment, noting the strange way in which she walked. </p><p>Every few steps, she would stumble slightly.</p><p>"Zenaku-san. Is there a reason that you would be returning at this time, when everyone has already settled down for the night? Are you perhaps hiding something?" He asked.</p><p>The girl stopped in her tracks. Something else the boy observed was that the girl was shaking slightly. Although he felt he shouldn't care, something about his interest towards the girl told him to simply just talk to her.</p><p>"It is nothing of your concern, Kichino-kun. Please return to your dorm room as it is past curfew." She said, not even turning to look at the boy when she entered her dorm room. </p><p>He could only just watch as she closed the door behind her.</p><p>——————————————</p><p>The next time they had a run-in with each other, was during one of Kichino's bad days. He just received a call from his father that morning, putting him in a fowl mood for the rest of the day. He decided to skip his classes today(since it wasn't required for him to show up as long as he was doing something beneficial to his talent), and he hid out in the library.</p><p>Unfortunately, someone had assumed he would skip classes and found him there. </p><p>Yami walked into the library, immediately spotting the boy in one of the armchairs, reading one of the many books that the room had to spare. </p><p>"Kichino-kun. You should be in class." She said, approaching the boy with purpose.</p><p>"Tsk. Perfect. Of all the times for you to be here, it is when I need your nonsense the least." He hissed.</p><p>Yami looked taken aback. She hadn't been expecting the normally well composed boy to lash out at her.</p><p>"Is something wrong, Kichino-kun? You do not seem like yourself today. But I cannot sense any evil spirits nearby, so your change in mood is certainly unwelcome." She said, crossing her arms.</p><p>This was the thing that seemed to finally set the boy off. He stood up from his chair and approached her. </p><p>"Stop speaking like you know me! I can be whatever I want to be without anyone telling me how to do it!!" He shouted.</p><p>Without knowing it, he had backed the girl into the corner of the room. The only think that brought him out of his rage was the quiet whimper that Yami let out. It was then that Kichino could now fully see that the normally confident and loud exorcist was now covering her face with her arms, as if she expected him to strike her. </p><p>Kichino back away from the girl, eyes wide. </p><p>"N-no...I am not... going to do anything. My...apologies....Zenaku-san. I do not know what came over me. It was incredibly improper of me..." This was the most genuine thing he had ever said to anyone outside of his family.</p><p>No one thought they would see the day that a Shinobu apologized. </p><p>He glanced back towards the girl, who was now on her knees, hugging her arms to her sides. She was shaking quite badly, mumbling something under her breath.</p><p>She was crying. </p><p>Immediately, Kichino approached the girl. He had to fix this. He was obligated to do so. </p><p>He knelt down in front of her, finally able to hear what she was mumbling about.</p><p>"...don't hit me......please....don't hit me...." </p><p>For some reason that even Kichino himself couldn't understand, these words made him angry. Angry at whoever had drilled this reaction into this girls head.</p><p>"Tsk. What kind of uncultured imbecile would strike an innocent woman? Utterly detestable." He said.</p><p>Yami seemed to break partially out of her trance in order to look at Kichino. She looked so horribly broken and vulnerable, which made Kichino come to one conclusion.</p><p>'<em>I never wish to see her like this again. I will protect her.</em>'</p><p>"Stand up, Zenaku-san. The floor is no place for such things. It is time for class now." He said, standing up and extending a hand towards her.</p><p>Her eyes widened in shock.</p><p>-</p><p>Ever since that day, the two have been seen together more often then not. They would sit down and simply talk about their lives to each other, and whatever came to mind.</p><p>Everyday, they would spend hours just conversating. At some point, she had began calling him 'Kichi'. It was something only those close to him called him. But she made sure only to call him that in private.</p><p>Nobody could really be sure who confessed first. </p><p>But in reality, it was none other than Kichino. He had brought her to the library, making sure that no one was there.</p><p>He turned to face her. In his mind, he had every confidence in his ability to date another, but he wasn't confident in whether or not the other party felt the same.</p><p>"Zenaku-san. You know much about my own life, as I know about your own." He began.</p><p>She seemed confused by this, but motioned for him to continue.</p><p>"We have not had the best lives. We have been through hardship. We have felt true fear. We have suffered nearly the same." He sighed, reaching out with his hand closed and facing the ground.</p><p>Yami held out her open hand and watched as the boy placed something in her palm. </p><p>A green clover broach. </p><p>"My goal is to recreate my family's name and bring back the honor that we Shinobu's once stood for. As much as I despise it, I know that it cannot be done alone. So I ask you, Yami Zenaku." He looked her deeply into the eyes.<br/>"Will you accept the honor of restoring my family name by my side. We shall rise together, and neither will fall." </p><p>Yami didn't say anything at first. Kichino wondered if he said something wrong. But that thought was immediately gone when he felt the girl wrap her arms around him in a hug.</p><p>It took a moment for him to recover from the shock, but eventually, he hugged her back. </p><p>"I was not able to save my mother, nor my father from the demons that took them over. But if I am by your side, then I can be there to stop them. I can protect you. I...I cannot bear the thought...of losing someone else....to the corruption that I could have prevented." She tightened her grip on Kichino's top as she held back her tears.</p><p>"Tsk. Fool. Nothing of this world or the next is capable of killing a Shinobu." He scoffed.</p><p>They separated from the hug, but they remained close to each other. Yami's arms on his shoulders, and Kichino's arms around her waist.</p><p>"What of your family? I refused to continue my father's business, so your parents will surely not approve of you being with someone of such a low class..." she said.</p><p>"Hmph. I do not care what they say. Once I graduate, I will show them how to properly restore the family name. And I will do so with whomever I see fit." He said.</p><p>"Hm. How charming. I must admit that you have also managed to grasp at my heart like no one has before." She said, smiling weakly.</p><p>"I would be surprised if I had not. Capturing your heart was not an easy task. Yet you managed to take mine in return. You must be proud." He said, smirking slightly.</p><p>Yami tilted her head to the side in a motion that Kichino found to be unanimously adorable.</p><p>"I am surprised that you have stayed with me so far. My horrible luck usually drives most people away." She mumbled, raising a hand to look at the clover broach that Kichino gave her.</p><p>"Have you forgotten my talent? If you have such bad luck then my own luck can easily cancel it out. You are safe by my side, my Guinevere. As I am safe by yours." He said.</p><p>This nickname threw Yami off for a second, but she soon remembered what it was from.</p><p>"Guinevere? The wife of King Arthur Pendragon." </p><p>"Indeed."</p><p>She chuckled softly. Come to think of it, she couldn't even remember the last time she had laughed. Her life had always been serious from as far as she could remember. </p><p>Being an exorcist, weakness was not something that you would reveal so easily.</p><p>"Hm..."</p><p>"Is something wrong?" She asked, noticing how Kichino had become quiet.</p><p>"It is not important. I just prefer you speaking at this volume rather then shouting all the time." He said, his smirk appearing once more.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Since I’m very bad a descriptions, see what my characters actually look like by visiting my Wattpad at CaramalTiger47. They are actually in the book.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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